Category: TLS Chapter 4

Episode 919 – The Dharma is Given Equally to All

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>> The Buddha teaches equally to all yet can nourish the vegetation, trees and medicinal plants in their different ways. The Tathagata’s merits, virtues and wisdom are vast and boundless like the great ocean. This is an analogy for the many ways in which. He expounds the teachings; these ways of teaching are inexhaustible.

>> “The Buddha teaches equally to all like the rain of one flavor. According to sentient beings’ capacities, what they receive is different. This is like those plants and trees, which each receive a different amount.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> “The Buddha uses this analogy to skillfully open and reveal; I use all kinds of expressions to expound the One Dharma. Within the Buddha’s wisdom, these are like drops in the ocean. I let fall the Dharma-rain, filling the world.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> This verse shows that His merits, virtues and wisdom are vast and boundless like a great ocean. In this analogy, all His ways of teaching are like drops of rain entering the ocean. This is exactly what the previous text means: You would still never finish describing them.

>> Thus, The Buddha uses this analogy to skillfully open and reveal. Understanding the True Dharma of the One Vehicle is called true wisdom. Understanding the provisional and transformational teachings of the Three Vehicles is called provisional wisdom.

>> The Buddha uses plants and trees as analogies for sentient beings to skillfully teach the confused. The Buddha taught the Chapter on Medicinal Plants as skillful means to open and reveal that. His intent was singular, with no differences, yet He established different methods of practice.

>> He uses many kinds of verbal expressions to teach in various ways so that those who hear can understand  the One Dharma. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas follow the course of the Dharma of True Suchness follow the course of the Dharma of True Suchness. Practicing this they attain perfect enlightenment.

>> They use all kinds of expressions, including those taught previously in the Chapter on Skillful Means and the Chapter on Parables. They are all using different things to teach that His intent was singular with no differences. These teachings arise from the differences among sentient beings.

>> The essence of the Buddha’s nature is replete with wisdom. The Dharma He teaches now is like a drop in the ocean; it will never dry out. The wisdom of the Buddha-mind is also like the great ocean.

>> I let fall the Dharma-rain, filling the world. The Buddha let fall the Dharma-rain, filling all the worlds in the Three Realms. ․The world of perfect enlightenment and the world of physical existence are all encompassed and supported by the Dharma of one mind and one flavor. Thus it says filling all worlds. This is what we call the mind encompassing the universe and embracing the boundless worlds within it.

>> The world of perfect enlightenment and the world of physical existence are all encompassed and supported by the Dharma of one mind and one flavor. Thus it says “filling all worlds”. This is what we call “the mind encompassing the universe and embracing the boundless world within it”.

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“The Buddha teaches equally to all yet can nourish the vegetation, trees and medicinal plants in their different ways.
The Tathagata’s merits, virtues and wisdom are vast and boundless like the great ocean.
This is an analogy for the many ways in which. He expounds the teachings; these ways of teaching are inexhaustible.”

The Buddha teaches the Dharma equally to all. Everyone must listen and take it in. The Buddha, starting from His very first thought upon initially attaining enlightenment, hoped to take the state He had attained and the principles He had realized and help everyone understand them. He wanted us to understand we all intrinsically have Buddha-nature and that it is through causes and conditions that we reproduce afflictions and thus drift through the Six Realms. In this way, we keep transmigrating endlessly. There is one method that can help us return to our nature of True Suchness. He hoped we could all comprehend it and take it to heart.

Actually, to mindfully contemplate something is not that easy, which is why He had to observe sentient beings’ capabilities and karmic conditions. Based on the scope of what they could accept, the Buddha expressed His wisdom, and with [methods] that contained the impartial Great Vehicle Dharma, He established ways of teaching everyone.

So, in the Chapter on Medicinal Plants, the Buddha uses rain as an analogy. Rain is able to nourish everything on the earth. Whether they are big trees or small plants, they all take in the same rain. The only difference is in how much each absorbs; the amount depends on the individual, depends on the type of vegetation. By the same principle, some people have sharp capabilities. They understand immediately upon hearing. Once they hear, they know right away that they should serve others and turn their own mindset around. Thus, they can benefit countless sentient beings. If someone has limited capabilities, the Dharma he accepts will be limited.

As the Buddha transformed sentient beings, rich and poor, noble and lowly, all were treated with the same impartial mind because everyone is equal; everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. The Buddha-nature is equal in all. Even though we are equal in our Buddha-nature, there are many different types of sentient beings and people.

Take [our volunteers] in Mozambique for example. There is a local volunteer there named Paula. This woman, Paula, has been poor all her life. Her husband, [Omar], is of Indian descent and used to be very rich, with wealth in the millions. He lived in a big mansion. This lasted until his old age. The children grew up and left home. Then, [his wife] wanted to separate from him. The wife and children divided the property and they all left. This businessman, Omar, lived in this luxurious house alone.

One day, a painter came to paint the house and after understanding the layout of house, gathered a group of bandits to rob him. They even took over the house, dividing it among themselves. Omar wandered outside; he did not dare go back, and he had no strength to resist them. So, he went to live in housing provided by an Islamic [congregation]; it was a house in the slums.

Then with certain causes and conditions, he married Paula. The people of Mozambique, upon seeing Paula and Omar’s marriage, perhaps due to their age difference and especially because of their different ethnicities, treated them with contempt and rejected them. So, Paula also did not dare to go out and constantly remained in the slums.

One time, one of our Tzu Chi volunteers, Denise, was leading a group of Tzu Chi volunteers and brought them to this area. They likewise used a computer to first start by playing one of my video broadcasts talking about the “Three No’s,” about loving everyone equally. Paula was there listening. Then a volunteer explained more to her and told her [about Tzu Chi]; using love, she sincerely invited her to take part. In this way, she opened Paula’s heart. So, Paula joined the Tzu Chi volunteers and began approaching people to raise funds, began visiting the needy and helping others. This made her feel very happy. This is how she started. Her life totally changed and she proactively devoted herself to this volunteer group.

Simply transforming her thoughts allowed her to help others. This is receiving the nurturing of the Dharma [Only] people can propagate the Dharma. So, the Tzu Chi volunteers in Mozambique formed a group to spread Tzu Chi’s love. They are able to use their native language, so others understand what they say. Thus, the Dharma is impartial. No matter the ethnicity or the language, it is all the same Dharma. No matter what language you speak, the Dharma is all the same. It has been over 2000 years ago since the Buddha first taught this Dharma, and it has continued on until today. No matter which language is used, it is all transmitted from this same Dharma.

So, the Buddha-Dharma can nourish all equally, just like the rain nourishing the earth, whether vegetation and trees in the high mountains or the medicinal plants on the flatlands. Though all are different, everyone can accept great or limited teachings depending on their great or limited capabilities. This is to say, “The Tathagata’s merits, virtues and wisdom are vast and boundless like the great ocean.” They are just like a great ocean. “This is an analogy for the many ways in which. He expounds the teachings; these ways of teaching are inexhaustible.” His giving so many teachings is just like an ocean; all these drops of water are given [to nourish] yet the ocean always has so much water in it. So, we must listen very mindfully.

The previous sutra passage says, “The Buddha teaches equally to all like the rain of one flavor. According to sentient beings’ capacities, what they receive is different. This is like those plants and trees, which each receive a different amount.”

This passage is reminding us again of how the Buddha taught impartially. Based on sentient beings’ varying capabilities and what they experienced, He would explain in different ways for each. Nonetheless, regardless of how it is explained, the principles are the same; these principles are impartial.

The next passage of the sutra says, “The Buddha uses this analogy to skillfully open and reveal; I use all kinds of expressions to expound the One Dharma. Within the Buddha’s wisdom, these are like drops in the ocean. I let fall the Dharma-rain, filling the world.”

This verse shows that His merits, virtues and wisdom are vast and boundless like a great ocean. In this analogy, all His ways of teaching are like drops of rain entering the ocean. This is exactly what the previous text means: “You would still never finish describing them.”

This passage is repeated verse, which carries on the earlier long-form prose. The principles in the Chapter on Medicinal Plants are very important, so He hoped we will all review it over and over and take this Dharma very clearly into our hearts. So, things are repeated again in verse. This is revealing “merits, virtues and wisdom,” explaining how the Buddha’s merits and wisdom “are vast and boundless like a great ocean”

In what the Buddha said, “‘the Buddha’ refers to an Enlightened One.” He is not engaging in self-praise, He is describing the merits and wisdom of an Enlightened One, how they are vast and boundless like a great ocean. This is truly great wisdom. Each of us has only a single head, but as for the neurons in our brain, do you know how many brain cells there are? There are countless numbers of cells. The Buddha was the same, just like all of us. But with His wisdom, the way the Buddha uses His brain cells, for countless kalpas He has been able to uphold a single aspiration. This is [a result of] ceaseless training. He has trained His brain cells so that they can remember everything He has done. He has taken it into His mind and His nature, not just into His mind, but also into His nature. This nature is the Buddha-nature. In this way, He accumulated [merits and wisdom] throughout countless lifetimes, exercising His transformation-body in the world. So, “His merits, virtues and wisdom are vast and boundless like a great ocean.”

“In this analogy [for] all His ways of teaching,” He uses this method to make an analogy that [these ways] “are like drops of rain entering the ocean.” Just like the previous [sutra] passage says, “You would still never finish describing them.” The Buddha possesses so much wisdom that of all the things contained within the universe, of all observable phenomena and and all general principles, there are none that are unknown to the Buddha. Thus, with all the sentient beings on earth, whether human or animal or [even] plants, the different teachings He gives are so numerous that one could truly “never finish describing them.”

His wisdom is as vast as the ocean. It is so wide and boundless. Is it only the ocean that is this vast? Not at all. In the Dharma-realms of the universe, in the vast void of the universe, there are so many [things]

Thus, “The Buddha uses this analogy to skillfully open and reveal. Understanding the True Dharma of the One Vehicle is called true wisdom. Understanding the provisional and transformational teachings of the Three Vehicles is called provisional wisdom.”

The True Dharma of the One Vehicle is an universal principle “[This] is called true wisdom.” This is true wisdom. It is not just knowledge; it is not saying, “I know, I know.” It is not just about knowing. This wisdom has already penetrated down to our nature of True Suchness; it has returned to our nature of True Suchness. The Dharma of the One Vehicle comes from our nature of True Suchness. All that is realized and taught from it is true wisdom.

For more than 40 years, the Buddha, whether teaching the Three or the Five Vehicles, constantly responded to the capabilities of sentient beings. He understood the capabilities of sentient beings, so this was how the Buddha gave teachings, universally teaching and transforming. This is all called skillful means.

The Buddha uses plants and trees as analogies for sentient beings to skillfully teach the confused. The Buddha taught the Chapter on Medicinal Plants as skillful means to open and reveal that. His intent was singular, with no differences, yet He established different methods of practice.

“The Buddha uses plants and trees as analogies for sentient beings”. Whether with great or limited capabilities, there are many different sentient beings. Thus they are likened to all the different kinds of plants and trees. When we step outside and look at the various flowers and plants, we cannot even recognize them all. This is why [the Buddha] used plants and trees as an analogy for all sentient beings. This is an analogy for their numbers and variety. The Buddha taught the Dharma according to their different capabilities. Thus, He would “skillfully teach the confused.” Sentient beings are lost and lack clarity; this is the ignorance of sentient beings. Therefore, the Buddha must come to guide lost sentient beings from confusion to awakening. This is the Buddha’s one great cause.

There are many sentient beings in the world, and sentient beings’ capabilities are very uneven. There are truly vast differences between them. However, the Buddha’s loving kindness is impartial. Therefore, “The Buddha taught the Chapter on Medicinal Plants to open and reveal that His intent was singular, with no differences.” The way the Buddha treated all sentient beings, who are lost in so many types of afflictions, and His intent as He reveals the Dharma to them, has no differences, it is always equal. The Buddha-mind is impartial; He views all sentient beings as His only child. But He “established different methods of practice.” Since sentient beings’ capabilities are different, He used different teaching methods.

He uses many kinds of verbal expressions to teach in various ways so that those who hear can together understand  the One Dharma. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas follow the course of the Dharma of True Suchness follow the course of the Dharma of True Suchness. Practicing this they attain perfect enlightenment.

“He uses many kinds of verbal expressions to teach in various ways so that those who hear can together understand the One Dharma.” Accommodating their capabilities, He helped the listeners to accept and understand the One Dharma. Thus it says, “All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas follow the course of the Dharma of True Suchness. They practice it to attain perfect enlightenment.” All Buddhas of the past, present and future, the countless numbers of enlightened past Buddhas, as well as the Bodhisattvas who have transcended the eighth ground, and even wondrously awakened Bodhisattvas who have completed the tenth ground, are all the same; they all stay on the path and follow this course. This is the path to enlightenment, the Dharma of True Suchness. This is what all awakened beings must follow; no matter who is walking the Bodhisattva-path, everyone must walk this same path to arrive at the state of Buddhahood. “They practice it to attain perfect enlightenment”

They use all kinds of expressions, including those taught previously in the Chapter on Skillful Means and the Chapter on Parables. “They are all using different things to teach that His intent was singular with no differences.” These teachings arise from the differences among sentient beings.

Thus, the Chapter on Medicinal Plants connects with what was taught previously, whether the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, the Chapter on Parables or the Chapter on Skillful Means; these teachings are all connected. This includes the Chapter on Parables, where there are many birds and beasts and such; all these different things are used as different analogies “[This was] to teach that His intent was singular with no differences.” He taught this way, but “His intent was singular”; the Buddha taught impartially. Whether in the Chapter on Skillful Means, the Chapter on Parables or the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, He always expressed a single intent. However, there are conditions; these teachings arise from the differences among sentient beings. Since no two sentient beings are the same, every person’s causes and conditions are different. Even their capacities and natures are different.

The essence of the Buddha’s nature is replete with wisdom. The Dharma He teaches now is like a drop in the ocean; it will never dry out. The wisdom of the Buddha-mind is also like the great ocean.

“Within the Buddha’s wisdom, these are like drops in the ocean.” The Buddha’s essence, as the Great Awakened One, “is replete with wisdom. The Dharma He teaches now is like a drop in the ocean.” When a drop of water enters the vast ocean, it will never dry out. “The wisdom of the Buddha-mind is like the great ocean.” The Buddha’s mind and the Buddha’s wisdom are just like the great ocean. Just as a drop of water in the ocean never dries up, neither does the Buddha’s wisdom.

I let fall the Dharma-rain, filling the world. The Buddha let fall the Dharma-rain, filling all the worlds in the Three Realms. ․The world of perfect enlightenment and the world of physical existence are all encompassed and supported by the Dharma of one mind and one flavor. Thus it says filling all worlds. This is what we call the mind encompassing the universe and embracing the boundless worlds within it.

“I let fall the Dharma-rain, filling the world.” The Buddha says, “I let fall the Dharma-rain.” This is an analogy for how once dense clouds cover all, the rain falls and everything in the world receives nourishment ․”I let fall the Dharma-rain, filling the world. The Buddha let fall the Dharma-rain, filling all the worlds in the Three Realms.” We all know the Three Realms are the desire, form and formless realms. “The world” refers to “the worlds of sentient beings in the Ten Dharma-realms.” The Dharma-rain can reach everything, all the minds of sentient beings. Whether filled with desire, forms or formless thoughts, these afflictions and ignorance, they can all receive the Dharma-rain.

The world of perfect enlightenment and the world of physical existence are all encompassed and supported by the Dharma of one mind and one flavor. Thus it says “filling all worlds”. This is what we call “the mind encompassing the universe and embracing the boundless world within it”.

As for “the World of Perfect Enlightenment,” this world of physical existence, it contains all tangible things. All of this is encompassed in the Dharma of one mind and one flavor. Everything we can see contains within it a portion of the principles He [realized]. So, no matter what it is, His Dharma remains the same. “This is what we call ‘the mind encompassing the universe and’ ’embracing the boundless worlds within it'” ․The world of perfect enlightenment and the world of physical existence are all encompassed and supported by the Dharma of one mind and one flavor. Thus it says “filling all worlds.” This is what we call “the mind encompassing the universe and embracing the boundless worlds within it.” The Buddha hopes we will exercise the love of parents for their children and extend it to see all beings as our children. The heart of a parent is also the heart of the Buddha.

Everyone must have this boundless love. It is like the rain falling down after the dense clouds cover everything. Wherever the rain is needed, [the rain] will provide moisture there. This is the Buddha’s impartial teaching. The Buddha taught impartially so all sentient beings on earth were nourished. If our hearts become dried up, if our hearts are dry, it is due to lack of Dharma. So, we must mindfully nourish the ground of our mind. Only then can the seeds of the Dharma begin to sprout from the ground of our mind. Little trees can grow into big trees, and small plants into great plants. We can respond to sentient beings’ capabilities and the illnesses in their minds by giving of ourselves and spreading the Dharma. This requires that we must always be mindful.

Episode 909 – The Ambrosial Dew of Pure Dharma

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>> The ambrosial dew of pure Dharma has only one true appearance and flavor. It is the flavor of the wondrous voice of liberation and Nirvana. This Dharma of one flavor is taught freely with one voice. According to their type, all can understand this meaning and attain liberation.

>> “All you heavenly beings and humans must single-mindedly and attentively listen. You should all come here to observe the supremely honored one. I am the World-Honored One, none can equal me. I have appeared in the world.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> “For the assembly, I teach the ambrosial dew of the pure Dharma. This Dharma has only one flavor, the liberation of Nirvana. With one wondrous voice, I freely teach this meaning and constantly create the causes and conditions for the Great Vehicle.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 5 – The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs]

>> For the assembly, I teach: The one who speaks is respected, therefore the Dharma He taught is wondrous.

 >>  The sweet dew of pure Dharma: The analogy is that the meaning of the Dharma can refresh and cool human minds and extinguish the heat of afflictions.

>> So, Ambrosial dew is the elixir of immortality. Wondrous Dharma is the true and permanent essence. It is called pure because it is undefiled. The ambrosial dew of the pure Dharma has only one flavor, the flavor of the liberation of Nirvana.

>> This Dharma has the one flavor of liberation and Nirvana: Though sentient beings’ capabilities differ, the Buddha’s intent is to constantly harmonize all in the one flavor to help them reach the unsurpassed liberation of ultimate Nirvana. The Dharma of one flavor is taught freely with one wondrous voice.

>> With one wondrous voice, I freely teach this meaning: Based on appearances, things seem to differ, but the meaning is one. He taught the provisional for the sake of the true. This is called the wondrous voice. He taught this wondrous meaning freely and extensively. This is teaching its meaning freely with one wondrous voice.

>> [I] constantly create the causes and conditions for the Great Vehicle: He expounded the Small with the intention to guide them into the Great. The wisdom of the Small Vehicle is the cause and good deeds of the Small Vehicle are the condition.

>> He declared that it was not only at this time that He freely taught this meaning. In the past 40 years, though expounding the Nine Divisions of teachings, He was always creating causes and conditions for the liberation and Nirvana of the Great Vehicle

>> The Nine Divisions of Teachings: 1. Sutra: Prose teachings 2. Geya: Repeated verse 3. Gatha: Independent verse 4. Itivrttaka: Previous lives of disciples 5. Jataka: Previous lives of Buddhas 6. Adbhutadharma: Teachings which never existed.

>> Prose teachings: In accord with sentient beings’ capacities, and furthermore, resonating with the truth, these prose texts are the Buddhist sutras.

>> Previous lives of disciples: These are texts in which the Buddha tells stories of His disciples’ previous lives, whether they are Bodhisattvas, Hearers or so on. They tell of their experiences, actions and karma.

>> Previous lives of Buddhas: Texts where the Tathagata speaks of His practice and karma when He was a Bodhisattva.

>> Teachings that had never existed: This is when the assembly attained what they had never had before, and thus joyfully put their palms together.

>> The Nine Divisions of Teachings: 7. Udana: Unrequested teachings 8. Vaipulya: Broad teachings 9. Vyakarana: Predictions of Buddhahood.

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“The ambrosial dew of pure Dharma has only one true appearance and flavor.
It is the flavor of the wondrous voice of liberation and Nirvana.
This Dharma of one flavor is taught freely with one voice.
According to their type, all can understand this meaning and attain liberation.”

The ambrosial dew of pure Dharma has only one true appearance and flavor. It has one flavor and one appearance. The rain that falls is actually water. What does water look and taste like? Everyone is very clear about this. Thus, the appearance and flavor of water are both widely known and quite simple, yet we use this as an analogy for the Dharma. The Dharma is something our minds must have, and it is also very simple. The true principles abide in our minds, but what name do we give to these principles? The nature of True Suchness. The nature of True Suchness is the truth underlying all things in the world.

The Buddha’s teachings are intended to help us understand all things in the world and how to diligently deal with everything that we encounter in life [It tells us] how to handle our affairs as we interact with people and how we can help everyone turn away from ignorance and embrace beneficial methods. This is the Buddha’s one great cause in coming to this world. If we want to be liberated, we must listen to the Dharma and understand it. We allow the sound to enter our ears, then once we have taken it to heart, we must put it into action in order to experience it; thus the Dharma will be one with our thoughts and actions, and we have precepts, Samadhi and wisdom together. This realization will be even more profound.

“This Dharma of one flavor is taught freely with one voice.” Although the Dharma is very simple, whether in our daily living, in our interpersonal relationships, in our relationship with the earth or in many various other causes and conditions, even the most mundane matter can help us to realize a very deep principle. Thus, everything in the world is teaching us the Dharma; it is all acting out the Dharma for us.

For example, in the Buddha’s lifetime, there was an old man living in a village. Ever since he was young, he was never happy unless he had been drinking. He constantly drank alcohol, and every day he was in a drunken stupor. Every day, when Ananda went to ask for alms, he would encounter this man, and when he ran into him, Ananda would say to him, “Go, go and listen to the Buddha teach.” His answer was always the same, “I am still drunk. You want me to forego drinking. I cannot do it.” This was the answer he always gave.

One day in the evening, he was still drunk as always, and he tripped on a tree root and was in great pain; he had fallen over, and he struck a bone which hurt very much. He struggled to pull himself up for a long time, and suddenly, in that place, he thought to himself, “Ah! I repent! I am so drunk that. I tripped on that tree root. The pain I am feeling now is unbearable. How can I get rid of this pain? I repent! I should not have ignored Ananda. I repent; I should have gone to see the Buddha.” Having turned his thoughts around, he struggled to his feet and returned home. In the morning, when he awoke, true to his word, he went to the abode and came before the Buddha,

bowing to Him respectfully. The Buddha asked him, “If there are 500 carts loaded with logs, how many carts of fire are needed to ignite all 500 carts of logs?” [The old man] replied, “That is easy. It would take only a pea-seized spark, and all 500 carts piled with logs would be set ablaze.”

The Buddha asked again, “The clothes you are wearing now, how long have they not been washed?” He thought for a moment, “I have not washed them in over a year. If you want to wash the dirt from them, how much water will it take to clean these clothes of yours?” The old man answered, “It is very simple. With one scoop of lime powder in water, I can get them clean.”

The Buddha said, “Indeed. Following the same principles, however many afflictions and ignorant habitual tendencies you have, as long as you are willing to listen to the Dharma and uphold the Five Precepts, your negative habitual tendencies of the past, your drinking habit, will naturally be completely eradicated.” When the old man heard this, he was filled with Dharma-joy. This was such a simple method that could help him to completely eliminate the habitual tendencies that he had accumulated over several decades.

Thus, the Buddha taught freely with one voice the Dharma of one flavor. “According to their type, all can understand this meaning and attain liberation.” This was how the Buddha [taught]; the Dharma of one appearance and flavor could be accepted by the capabilities of all in the Five Vehicles. This is the ambrosial dew of the pure Dharma, which has one appearance and one flavor. As long as we accept it, our minds can be cleansed and liberated, and all afflictions eliminated. So, we must listen mindfully.

The previous sutra passage says, “All you heavenly beings and humans must single-mindedly and attentively listen. You should all come here to observe the supremely honored one. I am the World-Honored One, none can equal me. To bring peace and stability to sentient beings, I have appeared in the world.”

“All you heavenly beings and humans” is referring to all humans. If they had these causes and conditions, they could accept the Dharma. The Buddha wanted everyone to know, “I am the World-Honored One,” one who will be respected by all people. “None can equal me.” Actually, the “I” the Buddha refers to is the greater self, the “self” of all things in the world. The greater self of the true principles can bring peace and stability to all sentient beings. The Buddha’s Dharmakaya that permeates the world is the true principles. The principles form His Dharmakaya (Dharma-body); thus, He can bring peace and stability to all sentient beings.

The next sutra passage says, “For the assembly, I teach the ambrosial dew of the pure Dharma. This Dharma has only one flavor, the liberation of Nirvana. With one wondrous voice, I freely teach this meaning and constantly create the causes and conditions for the Great Vehicle.”

The Buddha appeared in the world for the sole purpose of teaching the Dharma. So it says, “For the assembly, I teach”; what He taught is “the ambrosial dew of the pure Dharma.” In this evil world of the Five Turbidities, we need the nourishment of Dharma-water; this is like ambrosial dew or pure water. “This Dharma has only one flavor, the liberation of Nirvana.” The Dharma never changes throughout endless time. As for water, water has existed since Earth came into being. The water of billions of years ago is just like the water today. It has one appearance and one flavor. The principles are also like this; the Dharma that was taught in the past is the same as the Dharma being taught now. So, as for “the liberation of Nirvana,” if we can receive the Dharma, we can truly awaken and have a pure mind

while still [ensuring] that the True Dharma remains in this world and is continually transmitted. The source from which the Dharma is passed down is [His] single, wondrous voice. During the Buddha’s time, He taught the Dharma by speaking it. His teachings were passed down all the way to today; by “freely teaching this meaning,” the Dharma was able to be passed down “[He] constantly creates the causes and conditions for the Great Vehicle.” The Buddha continues to come to this world to pass on the Dharma in this way, in the hope that we can all accept the Dharma

For the assembly, I teach: The one who speaks is respected, therefore the Dharma He taught is wondrous.

Thus, He said, “For the assembly, I teach. The one who speaks is respected, therefore the Dharma He teaches is wondrous.” One who is able to teach the Dharma [is worthy of] the respect of all people. As one whom everyone respects, the teachings one gives are wondrous. So, we must engage in spiritual practice until we have taken the Dharma to heart and are able to transform sentient beings. Then, others will naturally accept our teachings.

The sweet dew of pure Dharma: The analogy is that the meaning of the Dharma can refresh and cool human minds and extinguish the heat of afflictions.

So, “the ambrosial dew of pure Dharma” is a metaphor for the meaning of the Dharma, which “can refresh and cool people’s minds” and extinguish the heat of afflictions. Only the Buddha-Dharma can cleanse and cool people’s minds. Otherwise, the heat of our afflictions causes our minds unbearable suffering. Only the Dharma can extinguish this heat of the afflictions in our minds

So, “Ambrosial dew is the elixir of immortality. Wondrous Dharma is the true and permanent essence. It is called pure because it is undefiled. The ambrosial dew of the pure Dharma has only one flavor, the flavor of the liberation of Nirvana.”

Ambrosial dew is the elixir of immortality. Because our nature of True Suchness exists forever everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. This is ever-lasting. Once we have thoroughly understood the. Dharma and the principles, these wondrous principles are true and permanent and remain unchanging throughout eternity. Thus, they are referred to as “pure.” This is pure Dharma-essence. The pure Dharma-essence is the truth, which is undefiled, and

it is called “ambrosial dew of the pure Dharma.” This is what the Buddha taught “[It] has only one flavor.” There is only one flavor; there are no others. The Three Vehicles all return to the One True Vehicle. “The flavor of the liberation of Nirvana” is the One True Vehicle.

This Dharma has the one flavor of liberation and Nirvana: Though sentient beings’ capabilities differ, the Buddha’s intent is to constantly harmonize all in the one flavor to help them reach the unsurpassed liberation of ultimate Nirvana. The Dharma of one flavor is taught freely with one wondrous voice.

“This Dharma has only one flavor, the liberation of Nirvana.” This means that, because the capabilities of sentient beings differ greatly from each other, the Buddha’s intent is to constantly harmonize all in the one flavor. His hope was for sentient beings to be able to comprehend that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature [He hoped] “to help them reach the unsurpassed liberation of ultimate Nirvana.” This is the Buddha’s intent. “The Dharma of one flavor is taught freely with one wondrous voice.” The same Dharma was taught with the one wondrous voice of His mouth. “According to their type, all can understand.” According to sentient beings’ capabilities, they can all understand. We sentient beings are still constantly caught in our cyclic existence. How much do we really understand?

With one wondrous voice, I freely teach this meaning: Based on appearances, things seem to differ, but the meaning is one. He taught the provisional for the sake of the true. This is called the wondrous voice. He taught this wondrous meaning freely and extensively. This is teaching its meaning freely with one wondrous voice.

“With one wondrous voice, I freely teach this meaning” “Based on appearances, things seem to differ.” Some things seem to be similar and some different, however, “The meaning is one.” The Buddha taught the True Dharma, but some people listened and seemed not to fully understand. They could not comprehend the true principles that lay within His mind. So, the Buddha taught the provisional for the sake of the true. Using provisional teachings and skillful means, He was still able to guide every one of us to see the True Dharma. This was the Buddha’s intent. So, “the wondrous voice”

means He taught with His voice according to sentient beings’ capabilities. “He taught this wondrous meaning freely and extensively.” He gave His utmost effort and taught freely and extensively, openly for all to listen so the Dharma could reach sentient beings’ minds. The Buddha hoped the words from His mouth would reach the minds of sentient beings. This is “teaching its meaning freely with one wondrous voice.” This is the Buddha’s mindfulness

[I] constantly create the causes and conditions for the Great Vehicle: He expounded the Small with the intention to guide them into the Great. The wisdom of the Small Vehicle is the cause and good deeds of the Small Vehicle are the condition.

“[He] constantly creates the causes and conditions for the Great Vehicle.” The Buddha “expounded the Small,” with the intention to guide them into the Great. “The wisdom of the Small Vehicle is the cause and good deeds of the Small Vehicle, the condition.” The Buddha practiced for sentient beings. He attained Buddhahood for sentient beings. This is the Buddha, the Great Enlightened One. The intent of the Great Enlightened One is to teach those who were deluded. He had to begin by teaching the Small [Vehicle]. Therefore, He taught the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Cyclic Existence, then slowly guided them into actualizing the Six Paramitas in all actions, to guide them from the Small into the Great. “The wisdom of the Small Vehicle is the cause and good deeds of the Small Vehicle, the condition.”

He declared that it was not only at this time that He freely taught this meaning. In the past 40 years, though expounding the Nine Divisions of teachings, He was always creating causes and conditions for the liberation and Nirvana of the Great Vehicle

In other words, “It was not only at this time that He freely taught this meaning.” It was not just for a period of time that the Buddha’s Dharma was freely taught. The Buddha first turned the Dharma-wheel in Deer Park to transform the five bhiksus. “In the past 40 years, though expounding the Nine Divisions of teachings….” In the past 40-plus years, by expounding the Nine Divisions of teachings, “He was always creating the causes and conditions for the Great Vehicle.” What are the Nine Divisions of Teachings?

The Nine Divisions of Teachings: 1. Sutra: Prose teachings 2. Geya: Repeated verse 3. Gatha: Independent verse 4. Itivrttaka: Previous lives of disciples 5. Jataka: Previous lives of Buddhas 6. Adbhutadharma: Teachings which never existed.
In the Nine Divisions of Teachings, the first is sutra. This is a Sanskrit term, which can be translated to mean “prose teachings.” Prose teachings are the Buddha’s teachings which comprise the sutras He taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities. These are called “prose teachings.”

Prose teachings: In accord with sentient beings’ capacities, and furthermore, resonating with the truth, these prose texts are the Buddhist sutras.

The second is “geya,” which means “repeated verse.” The prose contains truly important teachings, so they needed to be repeated in verse. This is “geya.”

The third is called “gatha.” Gatha is independent verse, unrelated to any long-form prose. They begin the same way as the repeated verses. One verse can contain many principles, with seven words per line or four words per line and so on.

The fourth is “itivrttaka.” These concern the “previous lives of disciples”

Previous lives of disciples: These are texts in which the Buddha tells stories of His disciples’ previous lives, whether they are Bodhisattvas, Hearers or so on. They tell of their experiences, actions and karma.

When the Buddha was teaching, if He saw people in interpersonal relationships who were unable to disentangle themselves, the Buddha would trace back to past lifetimes and say to everyone, “My causes and conditions with him are thus.” These were the Buddha’s actions and karma over the course of His practice in past lives, the karma He had created along the way. This is the content of the “previous lives of the disciples.”

The fifth is “jataka.” This concerns the “previous lives of Buddhas”

Previous lives of Buddhas: Texts where the Tathagata speaks of His practice and karma when He was a Bodhisattva.

In the “previous lives of Buddhas,” the Buddha explains what had happened in previous lives such that He encountered these things now. “I have not only been human in previous lives; I was also an elephant, appearing in animal form to transform sentient beings.” This is called the “previous lives of Buddhas.”

The next is called “teachings which never existed.” When the Buddha taught the Dharma, everyone felt unprecedented joy. Now they received the Dharma and felt a joy that they never had before.

The Nine Divisions of Teachings: 7. Udana: Unrequested teachings 8. Vaipulya: Broad teachings 9. Vyakarana: Predictions of Buddhahood.

The next is called “udana,” which encompasses unrequested teachings. When there were no causes and conditions, the Buddha began speaking on His own. He spoke without being requested. The eighth is “broad teachings.” This contains the Great Vehicle teachings, like the Avatamsaka Sutra, and so on. The ninth is “predictions of Buddhahood.” Here the Buddha, for the sake of all beings with the proper causes and conditions, including Hearers, Solitary Realizers, Bodhisattvas and so on, gave predictions of attaining Buddhahood in the future. These are the Nine Divisions of Teachings.

The Buddha, in His 49 years, gave various teachings for sentient beings. The Buddha-Dharma is as profound as the ocean. But as we constantly say, it has “one appearance and one flavor.” If our minds are able to comprehend the great path and form infinite aspirations, naturally our wisdom will be as vast as the ocean, and we will be able to lead people [harmoniously]. I hope everyone will always be mindful.

Episode 866 – We Return to the One Vehicle with Faith

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>> The Buddha, over boundless great kalpas, has steered the ship of compassion across the sea. Forever upholding compassion, He seeks Bodhi and delivers all to the other shore. With faith and understanding that the Three Vehicles are the One True Dharma, we resonate with the Buddha’s intent. The only way to truly repay His grace is to accept the teachings and walk the Bodhisattva-path.

>> The Chapter on Faith and Understanding and the two previous chapters explain how as skillful means, the Buddha established the Three Vehicles, which eventually return to the One True Dharma. This was for the sake of those with average capabilities, who could not yet awaken through His teaching of the Dharma to understand the principles of their nature.

>> These four great disciples of the Buddha heard the wondrous Dharma He had expounded and gave rise to Right Thinking and faith in the true path of the One Vehicle, leading to wondrous understanding, deep realization and penetrating insight.

>> Sariputra, with his great capabilities, heard the Buddha speak and faithfully accepted and understood. From Sariuputra’s description, we can see the Buddha did not need to use many words to awaken him. As for Subhuti and the three others, after understanding, they told the Parable of the Poor Son, which was especially lengthy. For this reason, the Chapter on. Faith and Understanding was established.

>> The Chapter on Faith and Understanding can actually be called the Parable of the Poor Son. In particular, this parable can only be taught after faith and understanding are established. Faith and understanding are the foundation, while the parable is the end result, hence the name of the Chapter on Faith and Understanding.

>> In the past, Subhuti and others may have understood the Three, but had no faith in the One, or they may have had faith in the Three, but did not understand the One. Today, after listening to the teachings and the parable, they understood the One and also had faith in the Three.

>> Entering the Great Vehicle and realizing the path is called having faith. Aspiring to cultivate the path of the Great Vehicle is called understanding.

>> With faith, we turn from the Small to the Great. With understanding, we know we will certainly attain Buddhahood.

>> By understanding the provisional and the true, through faith we return to the One Vehicle. By listening to the perfect teachings, we enter the perfect state.

>> A state of perfect harmony is replete with the Four Siddhantas and the Four All-Embracing Virtues. Thus it is called the Chapter on Faith and Understanding.

>> The Four Siddhantas: 1. The mundane world siddhanta. 2. The individual siddhanta. 3. The curative siddhanta. 4. The supreme meaning siddhanta.

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“The Buddha, over boundless great kalpas, has steered the ship of compassion across the sea.
Forever upholding compassion, He seeks Bodhi and delivers all to the other shore.
With faith and understanding that the Three Vehicles are the One True Dharma, we resonate with the Buddha’s intent.
The only way to truly repay His grace is to accept the teachings and walk the Bodhisattva-path.”

This verse is to tell everyone that in order to truly repay the Buddha’s grace, we must understand how great the Buddha’s grace toward us is

[He crossed] the boundless sea of great kalpas. Great kalpas are a very long period of time, a period of time that is incalculable. So, it is called a sea of great kalpas. To us, a couple of decades make up a lifetime. We also [know] that from the Buddha’s lifetime to the present, it has been more than 2000 years. This is a length of time that is calculable. In fact, though the Buddha attained Buddhahood more than 2000 years ago, before attaining Buddhahood, throughout the boundless sea of great kalpas, He continually steered the ship of compassion to come to the Five Realms and four forms of birth. He seized opportunities to cultivate affinities with the beings He met and form assisting conditions. He also developed His wisdom while among sentient beings. Cultivating both blessings and wisdom all depends on our minds; this mindset is one of “forever upholding compassion [and] seeking Bodhi.”

We should all remember that the Buddha formed His initial aspiration when. He saw sentient beings suffering in hell. He personally experienced suffering and saw the suffering of sentient beings, thus He gave rise to a thought of compassion. As His compassion arose, He sought Bodhi, the path to enlightenment. He did not only want to enlighten Himself, He also wanted to deliver sentient beings to the other shore. This is the Buddha’s heartfelt wish. So, for such a long time, [the Buddha] has solely worked to deliver sentient beings, giving His time to help others out of His compassion.

How can we repay the Buddha’s grace? We must have faith and understanding that the Three Vehicles are the One True Dharma. The Buddha hoped that everyone could have faith and understanding. Now, we must realize that the Three Vehicles taught in the past were actually the Buddha’s true intent, the One True Dharma. This One True Dharma is the enlightened nature of True Suchness that everyone intrinsically possesses. The Buddha wants to tell us that if we can all “resonate with the Buddha’s intent” and draw close to His mind, we will understand that we all inherently have Buddha-nature. This means that if we want to repay His grace, as long as we have faith and understanding, we know no matter what method the Buddha uses, His sole purpose is to teach us how to become awakened.

“The only way to truly repay His grace is to accept the teachings.” The Buddha wants us to not merely accept the teachings. As we learn these teachings, we must truly put the Bodhisattva-path into action in order to comprehend sentient beings’ ways of thinking and the source of their creating suffering. Then, we will be able to transform sentient beings. We must not only awaken ourselves, we must also awaken others. Only this will truly repay the Buddha’s grace.

The Buddha hopes we will fully understand the truth of suffering, how suffering is created, how the causes of suffering are accumulated and how this becomes a boundless sea of suffering with 10,000 surging waves. Layer upon layer, these waves continually surge like this. This is something that cannot be fully explained in two or three sentences. The Buddha wants us to experience it ourselves. So, we must have faith and understanding.

The Chapter on Faith and Understanding comes after the Chapter on Parables, and before the Chapter on Parables is the Chapter on Skillful Means. The Chapter on Skillful Means talks about establishing the Three Vehicles. The Buddha taught the Dharma His whole life by using skillful means

The Chapter on Faith and Understanding and the two previous chapters explain how as skillful means, the Buddha established the Three Vehicles, which eventually return to the One True Dharma. This was for the sake of those with average capabilities, who could not yet awaken through His teaching of the Dharma to understand the principles of their nature.

Thus, in the Introductory Chapter, [the Buddha] emitted a light, which was different from past assemblies. These were things that never occurred before. Everyone was waiting for the Buddha and wondering if He was still going to teach the Dharma further. At this time, He manifested many auspicious signs. Manjusri Bodhisattva then began to speak about the Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiant Buddhas. This is mentioned in the Introductory Chapter.

After the Buddha emerged from Samadhi, He continuously praised the state of Buddhahood and the Buddha-wisdom. The Chapter of Skillful Means expounds on the Buddha’s wisdom, the wisdom of all Dharma, all-encompassing wisdom, wisdom of enlightenment and so on. The depth of these roots of wisdom are explained in the Chapter of Skillful Means.

This continued until Sariputra began to realize the Buddha was not teaching in the usual way. So, Sariputra continued to ask whether the Buddha could explain more clearly so that everyone could understand the Buddha’s “profound, profound, infinitely profound” great wisdom, the state of His mind, the state of enlightenment. The Buddha understood Sariputra’s wisdom; he had truly comprehended the Buddha’s intent. Thus, in the Chapter on Parables, He began to bestow a prediction of. Buddhahood on Sariputra.

So, the Chapter on Skillful Means already describes the wisdom of the Buddha. The wisdom of the Buddha is the Dharma; everything in the universe is encompassed by the Buddha’s ocean of enlightenment. This very profound wisdom had already been brought together; this the path of the One Vehicle. The true principles of all things in the universe can be summed up as the One Reality Vehicle, the nature of True Suchness. This is returning from the Three to the One; it is returning from the Three Vehicles to the ultimate reality of the One Vehicle. “This was for the sake of people with average capabilities, who could not yet awaken through His teaching of the Dharma.” People with average capabilities, Hearers and Solitary Realizers, those with average capabilities, were unable to comprehend the One Reality Dharma and could not “understand principles of their nature.” They just could not comprehend.

This is what the Buddha observed of His disciples with average capabilities. Although, among the disciples of the Buddha, Sariputra was the foremost in wisdom, he was still considered to have average capabilities. So, in the Chapter on Skillful Means, the Buddha continually praised [this]. It was not until the Chapter on Parables that Sariputra finally opened up his mind and understood his capabilities were not just average. Even with average capabilities, he had already unlocked his wisdom and penetrated the subtle truths; He had now reached a state of great capabilities. His great capabilities had already surfaced. So, he received a prediction of Buddhahood. “You finally understand. You can attain Buddhahood in the future.”

These four great disciples of the Buddha heard the wondrous Dharma He had expounded and gave rise to Right Thinking and faith in the true path of the One Vehicle, leading to wondrous understanding, deep realization and penetrating insight.

Next, because of this prediction of Buddhahood, these four great disciples, Subhuti, Mahakasyapa, Mahakatyayana and Maudgalyayana, saw the Buddha confirm that. Sariputra would be able to attain Buddhahood. These “four great disciples of the Buddha heard the wondrous Dharma He had expounded and gave rise to Right Thinking and faith in the true path of the One Vehicle, leading to wondrous understanding, deep realization and penetrating insight.” These four disciples had begun to understand the wondrous Dharma that the Buddha taught. The Three Vehicles in the past had now become the One Vehicle, the true path. Everyone should be able to understand. So, now they “gave rise to Right Thinking.” They had to earnestly contemplate, needed to have Right Thinking. They had to earnestly use Right Mindfulness to [comprehend] the Buddha’s original intent. They had to earnestly use subtle and intricate insight to thoroughly understand the principles and enter the broad and great direct Bodhi-path. They knew they must continue down this path.

Sariputra, with his great capabilities, heard the Buddha speak and faithfully accepted and understood. From Sariuputra’s description, we can see the Buddha did not need to use many words to awaken him. As for Subhuti and the three others, after understanding, they told the Parable of the Poor Son, which was especially lengthy. For this reason, the Chapter on. Faith and Understanding was established.

This shows that, “Sariputra, with his great capabilities,” had heard what the Buddha taught and faithfully accepted and understood it. Sariputra had faithfully accepted and understood. He was very straightforward, [saying,]. “I believe in the Buddha’s intent. With the wisdom taught by the Buddha, I can experience and awaken myself.” This is how Sariputra’s mind and the Buddha’s mind already resonated as one. So, describing it was simple; not much text was required for everyone to be able to understand this.

As for Subhuti and the three others, although they also understood the teachings, their kind of understanding was different from Sariputra’s understanding. So, these four great disciples described the Parable of the Poor Son. The passages about the poor son are so long, all describing the minds of ordinary people. They also describe those spiritual practitioners. Though they had been at the Buddha’s side, they were still unable to comprehend and awaken to the treasure of the Buddha-Dharma. They thought it was exclusive to the Buddha. They thought they only had to seek liberation from samsara. They did not know that to escape from samsara they still had to [eliminate] traces of ignorance. Our mind is similar to water in a lake. When nothing comes, it is quiet, and we will be clear on everything. But, if even a tiny pebble or a tiny leaf is thrown into the water, it will cause the water to ripple.

The Buddha hoped we would cultivate our minds and eliminate afflictions. “Good, you have eliminated afflictions. Now you should immediately go among people without being contaminated by them. When afflictions come, do you train yourself? If you do, they will seem like small matters. You can simply be calm and let them go.” This is a settled mind. When we are unattached to things of this world and can let go of interpersonal conflicts, then our minds will remain settled and at ease. This is the reason we must go among people, to be refined, as if in a furnace. With refinement and reforging, things can recover their intrinsic quality. They will become fine things again. The same principle [applies to humans]. So, we must put effort into being mindful.

As for Subhuti and the other three, they were the Buddha’s senior disciples. They all understood that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature, but they themselves had walked a circuitous path. Now they finally understood. So, the analogy described here, that of the poor son, is a very long passage. As we have been saying for a long time, the Chapter on Faith and Understanding can actually be called the Parable of the Poor Son

The Chapter on Faith and Understanding can actually be called the Parable of the Poor Son. In particular, this parable can only be taught after faith and understanding are established. Faith and understanding are the foundation, while the parable is the end result, hence the name of the Chapter on Faith and Understanding.

In particular, this parable can only be taught after faith and understanding are established. It is only after gaining faith and understanding that the analogy of the poor son could be told. Previously, in the Chapter on Parables, there was the Parable of the Burning House. The burning house and three carts are analogies. The elder enticed his children to come out using the three carts. Everyone aspired to take the great white ox-cart and deliver themselves and others. Everyone understood this [analogy], and Sariputra was given a prediction of Buddhahood so now they all had faith and understanding. After this, the Parable of the Poor Son was taught in the [Chapter on] Faith and Understanding.

So, “Faith and understanding are the foundation,” while the parable is the end result. Actually, the most fundamental and important are faith and understanding. After faith and understanding were established, [the disciples] expressed their state of mind. “Our past state of mind was like this. Because we now have faith and understanding, we can speak of the past and how much time we spent [seeking]. Now we can finally realize this.”

In the past, Subhuti and others may have understood the Three, but had no faith in the One, or they may have had faith in the Three, but did not understand the One. Today, after listening to the teachings and the parable, they understood the One and also had faith in the Three.

So, in the past, Subhuti and everyone [had] “understood the Three but had no faith in the One.” They understood the Three Vehicles, but did not believe in the One Vehicle Dharma. Or they may have “had faith in the Three, but did not understand the One.” They believed in the Three Vehicles, but could not understand the One Vehicle Dharma. That was all in the past. “Today, after listening to the teachings and the parable, they understood the One and also had faith in the Three.” They “understood the One.” They understood the One Vehicle Dharma and also believed in the Three Vehicles that the Buddha taught. They understood all of this now.

Entering the Great Vehicle and realizing the path is called having faith. Aspiring to cultivate the path of the Great Vehicle is called understanding.

Now they entered the broad path, the great, direct Bodhi-path, this great road “[This] is called having faith.” Now they were willing to walk this road, the great Bodhi-path, this direct path. “Aspiring to cultivate the path of the Great Vehicle” means we must have Great Vehicle aspirations and walk the great Bodhi-path. This is truly “understanding” the Dharma.

With faith, we turn from the Small to the Great. With understanding, we know we will certainly attain Buddhahood.

“With faith, we turn from the Small to the Great.” Because we have faith, “the source of the Way, mother of merits,” we now turn from the Small to the Great. The Small Vehicle Dharma of the past has been set aside. Now, we are turning to the Great Vehicle. “With understanding, we know we will certainly attain Buddhahood.” We believe, so now we eliminate the selfishness of benefiting ourselves. We have opened up our limited selves to include all things of the universe and treat all sentient beings as one. So, now we have broadened our minds. Because of this, we understand. Because we understand, one day we can also attain Buddhahood.

By understanding the provisional and the true, through faith we return to the One Vehicle. By listening to the perfect teachings, we enter the perfect state.

“By understanding the provisional and the true…”. The Buddha opened up the provisional to reveal the true. Now they fully understood it. “Through faith we return to the One Vehicle.” We have this faith now. We believe in the True Dharma of the One Vehicle;]. It is the perfect teachings; it is truly perfect. We believe that the Three Vehicles taught before also began with the One Vehicle. We now believe in the Buddha and that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. In the future, we can also attain Buddhahood and return to the nature of True Suchness. This is called the “perfect teachings.” They are very complete and perfect teachings. Everyone already realizes and understands this, so this is being in “a state of perfect harmony”

A state of perfect harmony is replete with the Four Siddhantas and the Four All-Embracing Virtues. Thus it is called the Chapter on Faith and Understanding.

“A state of perfect harmony….” We talked about the Four Siddhantas before. As we mentioned earlier, the Four Siddhantas refer to universally giving in this world. We can universally give to the world. The individual siddhanta is to give to people. The curative siddhanta is the many methods to cure the afflictions of sentient beings. The Dharma we obtain is “the supreme meaning.”

The Four Siddhantas: 1. The mundane world siddhanta. 2. The individual siddhanta. 3. The curative siddhanta. 4. The supreme meaning siddhanta.
All the Dharma that we obtain can also be given universally to sentient beings. So, the Four Siddhantas are universal giving.

We also need the Four All-Embracing Virtues. We must go among people to benefit sentient beings. We give to sentient beings, use loving speech and collaborative work. In this way, we will be able to attain Buddhahood, not merely seek to benefit ourselves.

Dear Bodhisattvas, the grace that the Buddha gives to sentient beings is truly great. In the boundless sea of great kalpas, He steers the ship of compassion, upholding compassion, seeking Bodhi and delivering sentient beings to the other shore. Think about it; with such great grace, how can we ever repay Him? The only way is by what the Buddha hopes for us, which is to have faith and understanding and to truly transform sentient beings. We must faithfully accept and practice and transform sentient beings. This is the way to repay the Buddha’s grace. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 865 – We Make Vows for the Future

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>> Time, in the extremely short span of a few microseconds, slips away in the blink of an eye. Extremely long periods of time are without limits and without end. Children born of the Buddha’s speech have everlasting wisdom-life. We remember the past with gratitude and welcome the new future.

>> The Introductory Chapter: For the opening sutra, the Buddha first taught the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. He then entered Samadhi, radiated light and manifested auspicious appearances. He did not emerge from Samadhi for a long time. Maitreya raised a question, and Manjusri revealed the origin of the teaching. Emerging from Samadhi, the Buddha praised the Buddha’s virtues and penetrating wisdom.

>> The Chapter on Skillful Means: He directly taught the appearances of all Dharma for those with great capabilities. Sariputra immediately understood the Dharma that the Tathagata had just expounded. Resonating with the Buddha’s intent, he received a prediction of Buddhahood.

>> The Buddha previously explained that there is only the One Vehicle, which He skillfully expounded as the Three. We should know the Three were originally the One.

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Time, “in the extremely short span of a few microseconds, slips away in the blink of an eye.
Extremely long periods of time are without limits and without end. Children born of the Buddha’s speech have everlasting wisdom-life. We remember the past with gratitude and welcome the new future.”

Time is continuously passing by like this; it goes by so [quickly]. This is not just talking about seconds but also microseconds, which are even shorter. There are even femtoseconds, extremely short periods of time that fly by as they continuously go past, always going by in the blink of an eye. In this way, time keeps slipping away. So, we often discuss the aggregates. The aggregate of action is these infinitesimal, continuous and constant changes. We do not even realize this is happening. Everything follows the laws of nature and fades away without a sound, changes without leaving a trace.

In our body, the new constantly replaces the old. In every second, the body is metabolizing and aging. This happens without us even realizing it. In this world, at no time does anything ever stop changing. This is because time never stops; it continuously slips away. So, all things in the world, this natural universe, are like this, continually changing without ceasing. This is how life slips away.

So, extremely short spans of time constantly slip away. Actually, extremely short spans of time, when accumulated, become long periods, extremely long periods of time. How many billions of years have passed? That number is incalculable. A period of time without beginning or end is an extremely long period of time. So, the Buddha-Dharma measures time in “kalpas.” A long period of time is called a “kalpa.”

Time can be so short it slips away in an instant or so long it is without limits and without end. This is all time. Time can bring all things to fruition.

Living in this world, our lifespan is just so short. People say living to be 100 is good. But how many people can actually live to the age of 100? Very few. However, when the Buddha came to this world to manifest the attainment of Buddhahood, He had a lifespan of 80 years 80 years was the length of time. He manifested in the human realm in that life. Think about it; after that lifetime, did the Buddha take a rest? No. He carries on life after life, continuously, without letting any moment slip away. He had not yet transformed all sentient beings. After forming this aspiration in the past, He has continually gone among people to create good affinities with sentient beings and cultivate wisdom among people. When His causes and conditions matured, in an era and world without Buddhas, He manifested the attainment of Buddhahood. Since then, more than 2000 years have passed.

This is still calculable, but what about the period of time before He attained Buddhahood? Before then, He had to continually accumulate [affinities] by going among the people life after life. He did not only go among humans; we often speak of the Five Realms and four forms of birth. The Buddha’s footprints are found in every place, as He went among the suffering to care for them, to guide them. This was how He created affinities with them. This continued until causes and conditions matured and He manifested the attainment of Buddhahood during that 80-year lifespan.

So, does the Buddha exist somewhere today? Though the Buddha has entered Parinirvana, His Dharma-body, which is the Dharma, all of the teachings that He gave, has remained in the human realm. Since the Buddha-Dharma has remained here, has the Buddha then taken a rest? No. He still comes back to the human realm, to the Five Realms and four forms of birth. He still continues to save all sentient beings. His affinities with them enable their karmic conditions to continue to mature. Therefore, the grace of all the Buddha has given for the sake of sentient beings is indeed tremendous.

This physical body that our parents give us is our causes and conditions for this one lifetime. With the causes we created in past lives and the karmic connections we formed with our parents, we brought our karma and followed our karmic conditions to be born in this world to this pair of parents. These parents gave birth to us and raised us. The grace they showed us this life is tremendous, to say nothing of the Buddha’s grace! He returned life after life to bring our wisdom-life into fruition. So, we are “children born of the Buddha’s speech.” The sutras mention. “Children born of the Buddha’s speech.” Everyone’s wisdom-life comes from the Buddha’s teachings, from experiencing and understanding them. By eliminating our ignorance, we begin to develop our wisdom-life.

With wisdom-life we return to our intrinsic nature. Our nature of True Suchness is forever. Our wisdom-life is everlasting because our nature of True Suchness has no beginning or end; it is always there [We are] “children born of the Buddha’s speech.” The Buddha’s teachings nurture our wisdom-life. This is why we are called Dharma-children.

Dharma-children form great aspirations, make great vows and walk the Bodhisattva-path; this is what makes them Dharma-children. If we have not formed great aspirations and vows, we are like the poor son. The poor son was continually and mindfully enticed in by the elder. He went into the poor son’s environment in order to be with him, to gradually entice him and establish a relationship with him. This kind of enlightened love is the love of Bodhisattvas; they gradually, continually guide sentient beings until they realize that all of the elder’s wealth is the poor son’s, that all of the Buddha’s wisdom is inherently within all sentient beings. This is what the Buddha wants us to understand.

So, our wisdom-life is everlasting. Because the Buddha showed us such grace, we must remember the past with gratitude. The Buddha’s grace is indeed tremendous; He followed sentient beings in the Five Realms and four forms of birth, For such a long period of time, the Buddha continually worked for sentient beings. Think about it; shouldn’t we remember His grace with gratitude? Every day we must be grateful, grateful that we can obtain the Buddha-Dharma. At any time, in any situation, it allows us to create good affinities and exhaust bad karma.

When we encounter unwholesome sentient beings, when things do not go as we wish, we must remain calm as we deal with things. Then as time slips by, our [negative] karma will disappear along with it. As long as our minds can remain settled, as long as we do not take things too seriously and remain calm, we know no matter how terrible the conditions are they will slip away with the passage of time and become a thing of the past. Our karma and the obstacles and afflictions we face due to people, matters and things will also become a thing of the past. For this reason, we must always be grateful for having the Buddha-Dharma in our minds. So, we must patiently endure; by patiently enduring, we exhaust our karma and turn negative affinities into good affinities.

We must know that the Buddha, across a boundless ocean of great kalpas, sought the Bodhi-path for the sake of all beings. This took a very long time. Thus, the Buddha’s great grace is hard to repay. This is because He spent countless kalpas continually working hard on behalf of all beings, creating the causes and conditions for everyone to accept the Buddha-Dharma and thus develop wisdom-life and eliminate our afflictions.

No one can eliminate our afflictions for us; we must eliminate them ourselves. Only by understanding the Dharma are we able to eliminate afflictions. So, the Buddha used all kinds of methods to guide us to resonate with the Buddha’s mind. To resonate with is to be in accord with. Our mind and the Buddha’s mind must be in accord with each other. Only in this way can we repay the Buddha’s grace. If we are in accord with the Buddha’s mind, the Buddha wants us to walk the Bodhi-path and widely transform sentient beings. This is the only way to truly repay His grace.

The Introductory Chapter: For the opening sutra, the Buddha first taught the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. He then entered Samadhi, radiated light and manifested auspicious appearances. He did not emerge from Samadhi for a long time. Maitreya raised a question, and Manjusri revealed the origin of the teaching. Emerging from Samadhi, the Buddha praised the Buddha’s virtues and penetrating wisdom.

Dear Bodhisattvas, everyone must form Bodhisattva-aspirations. The Buddha used much effort to expound the Dharma, even just in giving the Lotus teachings alone. The Chapter on Faith and Understanding has now come to an end. Before the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, there was the Introductory Chapter. Before that was the opening sutra. The opening sutra was the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. After teaching that, the Buddha entered Samadhi. After He finished the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, the Dharma-assembly did not disperse, and the Buddha remained there and entered Samadhi. When in Samadhi, His appearance was dignified, and He radiated light. At that moment, everyone was puzzled. This had never happened before. After finishing expounding teachings, [usually] the Buddha would give a conclusion, then all would rejoice, faithfully accept and practice [the Dharma], then prostrate and leave. Every sutra [ended] like this.

However, after the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, He did not [give this conclusion]. Thus, nobody left that place. The Buddha entered Samadhi and did not emerge for a long time. So, Maitreya Bodhisattva began to ask questions on everyone’s behalf. He asked Manjusri Bodhisattva, because Manjusri had attained Buddhahood before and was a teacher of seven Buddhas in the past; those he taught had already attained Buddhahood. Only Manjusri Bodhisattva had seen and heard so much; his experience was very deep. So, Maitreya Bodhisattva asked Manjusri.

Manjusri Bodhisattva then revealed the origin of the teaching. He answered that all Buddhas share the same path so this all meant that the Buddha was about to teach the Great [Vehicle] Dharma. This was the meaning behind the Buddha entering Samadhi. So after emerging from Samadhi, the Buddha praised the virtues [of all Buddhas]. He began to explain how past Buddhas and the present one, all Buddhas, share the same path. Every single Buddha is replete with all kinds of virtues, as well as infinite wisdom. He began to explain this. He praised “the Buddha’s…penetrating wisdom.” After He emerged from Samadhi, He manifested so many of the spiritual states realized after His enlightenment, the wisdom awakened to all things in the universe, that tranquil and clear wisdom that encompasses the world, the ocean of enlightened wisdom within all of us. During this time, He continued to praise the Buddha-virtues

The Chapter on Skillful Means: He directly taught the appearances of all Dharma for those with great capabilities. Sariputra immediately understood the Dharma that the Tathagata had just expounded. Resonating with the Buddha’s intent, he received a prediction of Buddhahood.

The Chapter on Skillful Means was expounded for those with great capabilities. Regarding the Chapter on Skillful Means, we must not think that it is giving limited teachings; it is not. It helps everyone understand that the Dharma given by the Buddha in the past was taught according to sentient beings’ capabilities. Accommodating sentient beings’ capabilities is actually great wisdom. That wisdom includes the wisdom of enlightenment and many others within all-encompassing wisdom. These many kinds of wisdom are explained in the Chapter on Skillful Means.

All this time Sariputra had been hearing about the Buddha’s virtues, past spiritual practices and the wisdom He had accumulated in His ocean of enlightened wisdom. Finally, Sariputra attained a realization. So, Sariputra hoped that everyone would understand the Buddha’s wisdom and resonate with the Buddha’s intent. Thus, Sariputra became the [designated] recipient and asked the Buddha for guidance. The Buddha was asked by Sariputra three times, and He refused him three times. Only after that did He begin to teach the infinite and supreme. One Vehicle Dharma. So, the Chapter on Skillful Means is expounded for those with great capabilities. Sariputra realized the Tathagata’s teachings; thus “Resonating with the Buddha’s intent, he received a prediction of Buddhahood.” So, in the Chapter on Parables, Sariputra received a prediction of Buddhahood from the Buddha.

The Buddha used all kinds of analogies. One was the Parable of the Burning House. Sentient beings are so arrogant and proud that when He expounded the Great Dharma, 5000 people withdrew from the assembly. All over this world, many people are covered in ignorance like this. Due to a thought of greed, they played with fire. The fire continued drawing closer, but they were unaware and stayed in the burning house. So, the Buddha had to establish skillful means; with a sheep-cart, deer-cart and a great white ox-cart, He enticed them to quickly leave the burning house. This is in the Chapter on Parables.

Everyone understood, so they began to have faith and understanding; this is the Chapter on Faith and Understanding. The Chapter on Faith and Understanding comes after the Chapter on Parables, in which Sariputra understood the Buddha and resonated with the Buddha’s intent and thus comprehended the Buddha-Dharma. After the Buddha bestowed a prediction of. Buddhahood on Sariputra, in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding, four of His disciples arose and asked the Buddha to continue. They drew an analogy based on how, in the past, although they had been at His side they remained attached to the Small Vehicle Dharma. They were like a poor son [who had gone astray]. Then they continuously spoke of His great grace. The Buddha’s grace is difficult to repay. Even if we physically work hard to contribute, will this repay the Buddha’s grace? Is making offerings of material things enough to repay the Buddha’s grace? None of these are enough [To repay] the Buddha’s grace we need to realize the Buddha-mind and awaken to His intent.

The Buddha hopes that everyone will walk the Bodhisattva-path and go among the people to experience it, to comprehend life’s suffering, then amidst suffering, comprehend how we can awaken their wisdom and transform sentient beings without being contaminated by them. This kind of training is like being in a furnace. Scrap iron is thrown into a furnace to be heated by the blazing fire. After we take it out, we must hammer it. We have to do this over and over again to turn scrap iron into a refined tool.

By the same principle, we ordinary people have already spent many lifetimes replicating our afflictions and ignorance and acting out of greed, anger and ignorance. We developed doubts and entered into conflict with each other. With our actions, we began a cycle of enmity. We also fostered an arrogant and proud mentality. All of these things are like a pile of garbage. This ignorance has covered us completely, Our nature of True Suchness and our minds are covered with afflictions, so we must enter the furnace again to be tempered, trained. As we now wish to attain Buddhahood, we must aspire to walk the Bodhisattva-path.

The Chapter on Faith and Understanding helps us strengthen our faith and [deepen] our realization of the Buddha’s intent. Next is the Chapter on Medicinal Plants. It helps us further understand that those with great capacities must be taught with the Great Dharma. The ways of applying the Dharma will be discussed in the future. So, [teachings] are all found in parables. “Parables are used to show the Dharma’s meaning.”

The Buddha previously explained that there is only the One Vehicle, which He skillfully expounded as the Three. We should know the Three were originally the One.

Thus, previous passages explained how the Buddha merged the Three Vehicles into the One. “There is only One Vehicle, which He skillfully expounded as the Three.” Originally it was the One Vehicle. The Buddha, to teach according to capabilities, turned it into the Three Vehicles. He gave teaching suitable for their capabilities. We now know that the Three Vehicles were originally the One Vehicle. This was all done to help us attain Buddhahood [Ultimately] there is only the One Vehicle.

So, we are children born of the Buddha’s speech; He nurtures our wisdom-life. The Buddha spent a very long period of time helping us to develop our wisdom-life. This wisdom-life we all have is everlasting. So, we must remember the Buddha’s grace. He hoped we could walk the Bodhisattva-path and make the Four Great Vows “to deliver countless sentient beings.” We must also practice the Four Infinite Minds. With the Four Infinite Minds, we will give of ourselves with loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. This is being in accord with the Buddha’s mind and walking the Bodhisattva-path. This is the only way to truly repay His grace. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 864 – Transforming with the Four Siddhantas

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>> The Buddha knew that the roots of goodness in sentient beings had matured. He taught and transformed them at all times in response to mature conditions for liberation. Thus for those whose capabilities and conditions had matured, He lost no time in teaching them.

>> “[The Buddha,] knowing sentient beings’ various desires and pleasures and the power of their aspirations, teaches according to what they accept.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> “Using countless analogies, He expounds the Dharma for them. He does so according to sentient beings’ roots of goodness from past lives.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

 >> “He also understood those who had matured and those who had not yet matured, thus He devised various strategies so they could each attain realizations. From the One Vehicle Path, He followed what was suitable, thus expounding the Three.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> He also understood those who had matured and those who had not yet matured: The Buddha was able to know whether a person’s capabilities had matured or not. Thus He could teach all kinds of Dharma-doors which would lead sentient beings to each attain the Dharma-benefit of the Four Siddhantas.

>> The Four Siddhantas: “Si” means “universal”. “Dhanta” is related to the Sanskrit word “dana,” which is translated as “giving”. This is the meaning of siddhanta. With the Four Siddhantas, the Buddha taught and universally gave the Dharma to all sentient beings.

>> Siddhantas: The worldly life siddhanta. The individual siddhanta. The curative siddhanta. The supreme meaning siddhanta

>> 1. The worldly life siddhanta. Life refers to time and its passing. Worldly has a meaning of being bounded. As sentient beings’ capabilities were shallow and weak, the Buddha went along with what they desired to hear to individually give the sequence of teachings and bring forth joy in them. This is the worldly life siddhanta.

>> 2. The individual siddhanta. When the Buddha wanted to expound the Dharma, He had to first observe whether sentient beings possessed great or limited capabilities, whether seeds from past lives were deeply planted. Then, according to what was suitable, He could expound the Dharma for them so they would give rise to Right Faith and develop their roots of goodness. This is the individual siddhanta.

>> 3. The curative siddhanta. For instance, for sentient beings with much greed and desire, He teaches the contemplation of impurity. For those with much anger, He teaches the cultivation of compassion. For those with much ignorance, He teaches the contemplation of karmic law. To treat these and other illnesses, the Buddha universally gives this Dharma-medicine to all sentient beings. This is the curative siddhanta.

>> 4. The supreme meaning siddhanta. This refers to meanings and principles. The Buddha knew the roots of goodness of sentient beings were mature, so He expounded the Dharma to enable them to awaken to the noble path. This is the supreme meaning siddhanta.

>> Thus He devised various strategies so they could each attain realizations: He observed the maturity of their capabilities and devised strategies for each according to their capabilities. Those with great capabilities receive the Great. Those with limited capabilities receive the Small. If they were mature, He helped them succeed; if they were not yet mature, He waited.

>> From the One Vehicle Path, He followed what was suitable, thus expounding the Three: From the supreme path of the One Buddha Vehicle, He used suitable skillful means to expound the Three Vehicles. For this reason, in the prior 40 years, from the One Vehicle Dharma, He skillfully expounded the Three Vehicles.

>> To anyone who had heard Him teach the Dharma, even just one sentence or verse, He gave each a prediction of attaining Buddhahood and led them all to enter into Nirvana by means of the Tathagata’s Nirvana. This is the all-embracing virtue.

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“The Buddha knew that the roots of goodness in sentient beings had matured.
He taught and transformed them at all times in response to mature conditions for liberation.
Thus for those whose capabilities and conditions had matured, He lost no time in teaching them.”

For the sake of sentient beings’ varying capabilities, the Buddha always taught the Dharma according to their capabilities. Those with dull capabilities were unable to quickly accept the meaning in His heart that He wanted to convey, so He had to patiently guide them. He had to be patient for a long time, continuously giving of Himself until their roots of goodness matured.

So, “He taught and transformed them at all times in response to mature conditions for liberation.” When their causes and conditions were mature, the Buddha would immediately take the opportunity to transform them. He hoped that everyone could be moved and transformed by the Dharma. He hoped that very soon their causes and conditions would mature. So, to teach and transform, He had to give according to their capabilities, enticing everyone to gradually mature from limited capabilities to great capabilities, hoping that from seeking to benefit themselves they would develop the resolve to benefit others. In this way, He lost no time in teaching them. He taught and transformed sentient beings by seizing every opportunity, seizing every moment; He could not bear to lose even a second. He hoped that once everyone awakened themselves, they would seek to awaken others.

So, once we have attained this Dharma and awakened to the Buddha-nature of True Suchness, when our minds are one with the universe and we understand the truths of all things, we must then proclaim this to all sentient beings. At the same time we must patiently teach and also go among sentient beings to deliver them from suffering. We must “lose no time in teaching them.” We cannot wait any longer; we must earnestly seize the time we have. For the sake of transforming sentient beings, we must engage in spiritual practice, eliminate afflictions and seek awakening. This is what the Buddha truly hoped for and how sentient beings can repay the Buddha’s grace. This is what we must mindfully comprehend.

The previous sutra passage states, “[The Buddha,] knowing sentient beings’ various desires and pleasures and the power of their aspirations, teaches according to what they accept.”

The Buddha observed that sentient beings have various desires and pleasures. The desires of sentient beings and what they take pleasure in are different for each person. So, He had to exercise patience and wisdom and have compassion for them in their foolishness, ignorance and confusion. He must also, based on their capabilities, adapt to the power of sentient beings’ aspirations. Are they able to shoulder this responsibility? Can they handle being entrusted by the Buddha to deliver sentient beings and so on?

“Using countless analogies, He expounds the Dharma for them. He does so according to sentient beings’ roots of goodness from past lives.”   

So, He “used countless analogies” to inspire these people to form greater aspirations, to stabilize their strength and fortify the power of the vows they have taken on. So, the Buddha had to use countless analogies. For the intangible principles, tangible matters and objects could be used to give explanations and make analogies so that sentient beings could understand ․Using countless analogies, He expounds the Dharma for them. He does so according to sentient beings’ roots of goodness from past lives. So, “Using countless analogies, He expounds the Dharma for them.” He used all kinds of methods. Based on the kinds of difficulties they encounter, He would give different teachings in response to provide inspiration and help them understand. This was how the Buddha taught the Dharma, transforming them according to their capabilities. They also needed “roots of goodness from past lives. Past lives” means this goes beyond this life. In this life, the Buddha still had to observe the depth of the affinities they had accumulated in past lifetimes and the capacities and capabilities they had fostered. The extent of their capabilities determined the kind of Dharma they could accept.

With the following sutra passage, we have come to the end of the Chapter on Faith and Understanding

“He also understood those who had matured and those who had not yet matured, thus He devised various strategies so they could each attain realizations. From the One Vehicle Path, He followed what was suitable, thus expounding the Three.”

The Buddha wanted to deliver sentient beings, but it was truly very difficult. How could He give teachings suitable for their capabilities? Fortunately, the Buddha had infinite and boundless “merits and virtues and wisdom.” Thus, “He also knew who had matured and who had not yet matured.”

He also understood those who had matured and those who had not yet matured: The Buddha was able to know whether a person’s capabilities had matured or not. Thus He could teach all kinds of Dharma-doors which would lead sentient beings to each attain the Dharma-benefit of the Four Siddhantas.

The Buddha, in His wisdom, observed the capabilities of sentient beings; had they matured or had they not yet matured? When the Buddha transformed sentient beings, this was a very taxing part. This was not easy at all. Though sentient beings had accepted the Dharma, had their capabilities and causes and conditions matured? Could they accept the Great Dharma? “Thus He [taught] all kinds of Dharma-doors which would lead sentient beings” to each attain the benefit of the Four Siddhantas. The Buddha had to, if their capabilities were not mature, use the Four Siddhantas. He used these methods to nurture their roots of goodness and help them gradually mature.

What are the Four Siddhantas?

The Four Siddhantas: “Si” means “universal”. “Dhanta” is related to the Sanskrit word “dana,” which is translated as “giving”. This is the meaning of siddhanta. With the Four Siddhantas, the Buddha taught and universally gave the Dharma to all sentient beings.

“Siddh” is [interpreted as] universal. “Dhanta” is related to the Sanskrit word “dana,” which translates into giving. Put together, this means “to give universally.” The Buddha used the Four Siddhantas to teach the Dharma, to universally give to all sentient beings.

After the Buddha attained the Dharma and became enlightened, His aspiration was not to keep for Himself any of the Dharma He attained, but to fully share it with sentient beings. Thus, He applied all kinds of methods to universally give all Dharma to sentient beings. This is what “siddhanta” means. These four methods help sentient beings’ capabilities and causes and conditions to be able to mature.

What are the Four Siddhantas?

Siddhantas: The worldly life siddhanta. The individual siddhanta. The curative siddhanta. The supreme meaning siddhanta

1. The worldly life siddhanta. “Life” refers to time and its passing. “Worldly” has a meaning of being bounded. As sentient beings’ capabilities were shallow and weak, the Buddha went along with what they desired to hear to individually give the sequence of teachings and bring forth joy in them. This is the worldly life siddhanta.

First is the “worldly life siddhanta. Life” refers to time and its passing. Time is without form, and it leaves no trace; it passes incessantly by the minute and second. When it comes to the Buddha, how long did He engage in spiritual practice? For countless kalpas. Yet, although countless lifetimes is a very long time, each one passes [individually]. The previous, current and future lifetimes are each distinct lifetimes, and this cycle continues endlessly.

In this world where time passes, “sentient beings’ capabilities are shallow and weak.” This is because over time, as we keep coming and going life after life, we remain immersed in ignorance and afflictions, in a constant cycle. So, we replicate our ignorance and afflictions, causing the turbidities in the world to worsen and accumulating so much collective karma that disasters frequently occur. This happens because sentient beings’ capabilities are weak and shallow; they are unable to understand, and remain in confusion and ignorance. The Buddha could not bear to let this happen. So, no matter how tiring it was, He kept doing this lifetime after lifetime, for a very long time. “The Buddha went along with what they desired to hear.” He said what sentient beings delighted in hearing. The Buddha utilized this method to teach according to sentient beings’ capabilities, giving a sequence of individual teachings to expound Dharma suitable for their capacities, enabling them to realize and understand. Thus, when sentient beings listened to the Dharma, they took it to heart and were happy. “It brought forth joy in them.” This was the Buddha’s purpose in continually returning to the human realm. So, this is the worldly life siddhanta.

Second is the “individual siddhanta”

2. The individual siddhanta. When the Buddha wanted to expound the Dharma, He had to first observe whether sentient beings possessed great or limited capabilities, whether seeds from past lives were deeply planted. Then, according to what was suitable, He could expound the Dharma for them so they would give rise to Right Faith and develop their roots of goodness. This is the individual siddhanta.

“When the Buddha wanted to expound the Dharma, He had to first observe whether sentient beings possessed great or limited capabilities.” He needed to observe their capabilities, the extent of their capacities. This means that if they had great capabilities, they would also have great capacity to shoulder responsibilities. This is why the Buddha had to devise strategies. These strategies we just mentioned are about assessing whether people have great or limited capabilities. These were planted in the past. What kinds of seeds did they plant in past lives? What kinds of capabilities were planted? Everything depends on their seeds. Great trees come from the seeds of great trees. Small trees come from the seeds of small trees. Were their capabilities deep or shallow? “Then, according to what was suitable,” the Buddha taught the Dharma [The teaching] had to be just right. The Dharma had to be given according to capacities. He gave as much as they were able to hold. Thus, “They would give rise to Right Faith.” The Buddha taught the Dharma solely to enable sentient beings to give rise to Right Faith and to gradually nurture their roots of goodness.

3. The curative siddhanta. For instance, for sentient beings with much greed and desire, He teaches the contemplation of impurity. For those with much anger, He teaches the cultivation of compassion. For those with much ignorance, He teaches the contemplation of karmic law. To treat these and other illnesses, the Buddha universally gives this Dharma-medicine to all sentient beings. This is the curative siddhanta.

Next, the third is the “curative siddhanta.” The curative siddhanta means for sentient beings with much greed and desire, the Buddha would teach them certain methods. What did He want to teach them? To contemplate impurity. There are many impurities in the world. We must contemplate the body as impure. There is no need to look beyond ourselves; let us contemplate our own body. Does it contain impurities? In order to satisfy a momentary craving, we eat all kinds of things. After we eat, don’t we expel waste every day? If there is an imbalance of the four elements in our body, our body will [fall ill and] be very unclean.

Look outside; right now on Earth there is so much filth; some cities are even surrounded by garbage. There are so many dirty things and so much garbage. Where did all of these dirty things come from? They were created by people. In conclusion, we must contemplate impurity.

What about people with much anger? He taught them the “cultivation of compassion” For those with much anger, He teaches the cultivation of compassion. For those with much ignorance, He teaches the contemplation of karmic law. To treat these and other illnesses, the Buddha universally gives this Dharma-medicine to all sentient beings. This is the curative siddhanta. For those with much ignorance, we must patiently guide them and teach them to contemplate causes and conditions.

“Why did I have so many possessions in the past? Why did I lose them all in an instant? Why do I love this person so much? Why did impermanence suddenly strike? Why?” We must tell them about causes and conditions. When causes and conditions converge, we gain. When causes and conditions end, we lose. This is the law of nature, which has to be analyzed through all kinds of causes and conditions.

“To treat these and other illnesses….” These are all illnesses. Greed, anger and ignorance are all illnesses. For sentient beings with greed and desire, we teach the contemplation of impurity. For those with anger, we teach the contemplation of compassion. For those who are ignorant, we teach the contemplation of karmic law. In this way, we can use all kinds of methods, which are like medicines; prescribing medicine according to an illness. This is teaching according to capabilities. These are the Four Siddhantas. They are used with the Four All-Embracing Virtues. This is Dharma; it is Dharma-medicine. Thus, it is called the curative siddhanta.

4. The supreme meaning siddhanta. This refers to meanings and principles. The Buddha knew the roots of goodness of sentient beings were mature, so He expounded the Dharma to enable them to awaken to the noble path. This is the supreme meaning siddhanta.

Fourth is the “supreme meaning siddhanta.” The supreme meaning is principles, all principles. When the Buddha understood that sentient beings’ roots of goodness had matured, He expounded the Dharma for them. For those whose roots had matured and who were able to accept the Dharma, He taught the Dharma to “enable them to awaken to the noble path.” This is the supreme meaning siddhanta.

If they do not have the right capabilities, and we continue to teach, saying, “Come, let me expound the Dharma for you,” even if we teach them, they will not hear. Instead they will feel a sense of aversion. We must have mutual accommodation and respect; then gradually, they will stop rejecting and will be able to accept the noble path. This is the supreme meaning siddhanta.

Thus He devised various strategies so they could each attain realizations: He observed the maturity of their capabilities and devised strategies for each according to their capabilities. Those with great capabilities receive the Great. Those with limited capabilities receive the Small. If they were mature, He helped them succeed; if they were not yet mature, He waited.

When He gave the Dharma to sentient beings the Buddha had to use many methods to do this. “Thus He devised various strategies so they could each attain realizations.” He devised all kinds of strategies so everyone could attain realizations. Thus, “He observed the maturity of their capabilities and devised strategies for each.” He had to earnestly devise strategies to assess their capacities, how much their capabilities could accept. He taught “according to their capabilities.” To those with great capacities, He gave much Dharma. To those with limited capacities, He gave less Dharma. For those who were mature, He gradually instilled the Dharma in them and nourished them with Dharma-water until they matured. Then, naturally, the seed would become a tree, and a small tree could become a large tree. This requires patient guidance. If people’s capabilities are not mature, we must continue to wait until their causes and condition become mature. This is the method the Buddha used to teach us. “From the One Vehicle Path, He followed what was suitable, thus expounding the Three”

From the One Vehicle Path, He followed what was suitable, thus expounding the Three: From the supreme path of the One Buddha Vehicle, He used suitable skillful means to expound the Three Vehicles. For this reason, in the prior 40 years, from the One Vehicle Dharma, He skillfully expounded the Three Vehicles

so people with great or average capabilities could come to understand. “From the supreme path of the One Buddha Vehicle, He used suitable skillful means” to expound the Three Vehicles. The Buddha had already attained Buddhahood. Everyone can attain Buddhahood, but we are unable to because of our capabilities. So, He had to use skillful means. “In the prior 40 years, from the One Vehicle Dharma, He skillfully expounded the Three Vehicles.” The Buddha spent more than 40 years doing this. Originally there was the One Vehicle Dharma, but He turned it into the Three Vehicles. Limited capabilities received the Small Vehicle. Average capabilities received the Middle Vehicle. Great capabilities received the Great Vehicle. Whether great, average or limited in capability, each individual was helped to understand based on their capabilities.

In the past He used skillful means; now He revealed the True Dharma, which is the Lotus Sutra.

To anyone who had heard Him teach the Dharma, even just one sentence or verse, He gave each a prediction of attaining Buddhahood and led them all to enter into Nirvana by means of the Tathagata’s Nirvana. This is the all-embracing virture.

“To any who had heard Him teach the Dharma, even just one sentence or verse, He gave all a prediction of attaining Buddhahood.” If people’s capabilities were mature, they could hear just a sentence or verse and understand. So, the Buddha expounded the Dharma to them. This way, He began to “lead them all to enter into Nirvana by means of the Tathagata’s Nirvana.” This is the “all-embracing virtue of beneficial conduct.”

In order to benefit sentient beings, the Buddha led by example to teach them. He used the Four Siddhantas and. Four All-Embracing Virtues to transform them. The Buddha’s grace is so profound and vast. How can we ever repay it? Steadfastly engaging in spiritual practice and putting the Dharma into practice is how we can truly repay the Buddha’s grace. Therefore, I ask everyone to always be mindful.

Episode 863 – Uphold the Dharma to Transform Sentient Beings

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>> All Buddhas eliminate all desires and pleasures. Those with Bodhisattva-aspirations can skillfully retain and uphold. With all the Dharma taught by all Buddhas, they teach and transform sentient beings. This is the power of their aspirations.

>> “Flawless and uncontriving, They are the kings of all Dharma. For the sake of those with limited capabilities, they could endure such matters. They use the appearance of unenlightened beings to give them suitable teachings. With the Dharma, all Buddhas are the most free and at ease.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> “[The Buddha,] knowing sentient beings’ various desires and pleasures and the power of their aspirations teaches according to what they accept. Using countless analogies, He expounds the Dharma for them. He does so according to sentient beings’ roots of goodness from past lives.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> This is praising the virtue of the Buddha in using the Four All-Embracing Virtues to transform living beings. All-embracing means to accept and embrace. It means that if Bodhisattvas want to transform and guide sentient beings, they must embrace them with these four practices so that they can have faith and understanding for them to rely on. Then Bodhisattvas can finally lead sentient beings toward the Right Path of the Great Vehicle.

>> Thus, the sutra says: They first draw them in with their desires, then lead them to enter the Buddha-wisdom.

>> The Buddha knew sentient beings’ various desires and pleasures and the power of their aspirations, To give us superior powers of understanding, He expounded the sutras.

>> Sutras: It means prose that resonates. Resonate means resonating with the wondrous principles of all Buddhas, as well as with sentient beings’ capabilities. The word sutra means thread; these weave together the meanings of the Dharma so they do not become lost.

>> [He] teaches according to what they could accept: Sentient beings have different interests and hence different aspirations. He adapted to what they could accept and taught using analogies. This was all taught according to the scope of the roots they brought from past lives

>> Using countless analogies, He expounds the Dharma for them: He did not teach according to His own intent and what He had realized. He observed what was fitting for their capacities, and according to what they could suitably accept, He expounded the Three Vehicles. Thus it says: Using countless analogies, He expounds the Dharma for them. This is the all-embracing virtue of charitable giving.

>> He does so according to sentient beings’ roots of goodness from past lives: Sentient beings have different interests and hence different aspirations. He adapted to what they could accept and taught using analogies. This was all taught according to the scope of the roots they brought from past lives.

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“All Buddhas eliminate all desires and pleasures.
Those with Bodhisattva-aspirations can skillfully retain and uphold. With all the Dharma taught by all Buddhas,
they teach and transform sentient beings. This is the power of their aspirations.”

The Buddha eliminated all desires and pleasures. We all know that the Buddha’s pure state of mind is as clean as a mirror and as tranquil and clear as the universe. It has remained this pure all along. The reason His mind can stay pure is that He has eliminated all desires and pleasures. No desire or pleasure in this world can contaminate the Buddha’s mind. Of course, we all understand this. As the Buddha teaches sentient beings, this is His goal [for them] as well. If He did not eliminate all pleasures and desires, how could He ask others to do so? Thus, the Buddha had to eliminate His own desires in order to teach others by example.

He not only told Small Vehicle practitioners, “You should all know the Four Noble Truths,” the Buddha also analyzed for them the interdependent causes and effects of their many lifetimes. Their causes and effects are complexly intertwined. This is the karmic law of cause and effect. If those with limited capabilities can understand, then it will be even clearer for. Bodhisattvas with great capabilities. Because of their Bodhisattva-aspirations, for a very long time already they have been constantly taking in the teachings. Likewise, the Dharma has been passed down in its entirety. Due to the aspirations they formed, they never retreated from their spiritual aspirations. The Bodhisattva-path is very long, and they have walked it all along. Now that Sakyamuni has attained Buddhahood, in the presence of the Buddha’s teachings, they can understand very quickly.

Their minds and resolves were already clear, and many of these Bodhisattvas returned on the vehicle of their vows to assist with the Dharma-assembly. If Sakyamuni had to transform all beings, His power alone would not be enough, so Manjusri, Guanyin, Samantabhadra, Maitreya and other Bodhisattvas all came to help the Buddha in transforming sentient beings. They also appeared to be like us and were under the guidance of Sakyamuni Buddha’s teachings.

These Bodhisattvas had already attained the Dharmakaya; they may have already attained Buddhahood and taught others to attain Buddhahood. So, all Buddhas share the same path, and all Bodhisattvas come to the world to help the Buddha, to help Him in His mission to teach and transform. “Those with Bodhisattva-aspirations can skillfully retain and uphold.”

Retaining all teachings of good and evil means we recognize unwholesome phenomena and are very clear we must stop them, so that they do not persist. Upholding all goodness means that we ought to encourage all good deeds and continually promote them. This is what “retain and uphold” means. We retain and uphold all goodness so it will grow and retain and uphold teachings of [good and] evil so that evil does not grow. When we clearly discern good and evil, this is what we call retaining and upholding. This is Bodhisattva-aspirations. With this kind of great vow, such firm willingness and resolve, when Bodhisattvas listen to the Dharma they will go among people to benefit them. When they go into the world, they can clearly tell right from wrong. Thus, they “can retain and uphold.”

“With all the Dharma taught by all Buddhas” means all teachings given by the Buddha are already very clear in their minds. So, the mission of Bodhisattvas is to “teach and transform sentient beings. This is the power of their aspirations.” These are the aspirations of Bodhisattvas. They can skillfully retain and uphold the Dharma taught by all Buddhas and are able to transform and guide sentient beings. This is the power of their aspirations.

If we want to become Bodhisattvas, once we form aspirations, we need this power. We need the Five Spiritual Roots and Five Powers. With the root of faith, we need the power of faith. With the root of diligence, we need the power, too. In summary, if we have the aspirations but not the power, we will be easily tempted by our environment and our indolence will quickly manifest. We will turn back from our diligence and lose our aspirations. So, the Five Spiritual Roots and Five Powers are what we must make an effort to uphold. We must also engage in continuous practice.

We still must earnestly and steadfastly form great aspirations and make great vows to follow the Bodhisattva-path, awaiting the time when we can receive the Buddha’s predictions. When the Buddha bestowed predictions, He would say it will be 20 kalpas or countless kalpas before one can attain Buddhahood. This means our path of studying the Dharma is long. We must practice until we have eliminated our afflictions and reached a flawless state.

In the previous passage, we discussed how, “Flawless and uncontriving, They are the kings of all Dharma. For the sake of those with limited capabilities, they could endure such matters. They use the appearance of unenlightened beings to give them suitable teachings. With the Dharma, all Buddhas are the most free and at ease.”

We discussed this before. The Buddha had practiced and studied the Dharma until He reached a flawless and uncontriving state. Not even the most subtle, dust-like afflictions remained in Him [Connected with] the universe, His mind is tranquil and pure; everything in the endless void is interconnected. This was the open and spacious state of His mind, yet it still contained all things in the universe. Thus, He is called the “king of all Dharma.” However, He could not bear for sentient beings to suffer so He had to reenter the Saha World. Sentient beings are difficult to train, but the Buddha “could endure such matters.” This demonstrates the Buddha’s open, spacious, and accommodating mind.

So, in order to come to the human realm, He used “the appearance of an unenlightened human being.” He appeared just like the rest of us. He gave teachings according to our capabilities and seized opportunities to bring all to fruition. “With the Dharma, all Buddhas” have these methods to transform sentient beings. However, this Dharma remains inside the minds of all Buddhas, which are flawless and uncontriving. Thus, the state of Buddhahood is “most free and at ease.”

The next sutra passage states, “[The Buddha,] knowing sentient beings’ various desires and pleasures and the power of their aspirations teaches according to what they accept. Using countless analogies, He expounds the Dharma for them. He does so according to sentient beings’ roots of goodness from past lives.”

The Buddha already abided freely in the Dharma of all Buddhas; as the Dharma-king, He did not need to return. However, out of His compassion for sentient beings. He returned to the world once again “[The Buddha knew] sentient beings’ various desires and pleasures.” The Buddha understood that sentient beings all have desires, and once the gate of desires opens, we will lose our pure wisdom, and our aspirations will be weakened. Once desires arise, ignorance will form, as will greedy thoughts. After greed, anger and ignorance have arisen, our aspirations will be weak. Some have already formed aspirations, but when desirous thoughts arise, they will pursue whatever benefits them most.

So, for the Buddha to transform sentient beings, He had to endlessly teach according to their needs “[He] teaches according to what they accept.” This depended on the strength of their vows and how much determination they had. If the potential for gain can easily tempt us away, that means we are people with limited aspirations. The Buddha wanted to transform people like this, so, “[He] taught according to what they accept. Using countless analogies” means the Buddha used all kinds of analogies “to expound the Dharma for them. He does so according to sentient beings’ roots of goodness from past lives.” To transform someone, He had to look at their past causes and conditions. To transform them in the present, He had to understand the person’s past. This is praising the virtue of the Buddha in using all kinds of methods to transform people.

This is praising the virtue of the Buddha in using the Four All-Embracing Virtues to transform living beings. All-embracing means to accept and embrace. It means that if Bodhisattvas want to transform and guide sentient beings, they must embrace them with these four practices so that they can have faith and understanding for them to rely on. Then Bodhisattvas can finally lead sentient beings toward the Right Path of the Great Vehicle.

He used the Four All-Embracing Virtues. The Four All-Embracing Virtues, these virtues for transforming sentient beings, were used to accept and embrace them. To practice the Four All Embracing Virtues, we must cultivate virtue. The Buddha brought His virtues to the world to nurture all sentient beings and to teach and transform Bodhisattvas. If Bodhisattvas want to transform sentient beings, they must also take up the Four All-Embracing Virtues. “If Bodhisattvas want to transform and guide sentient beings, they must embrace them with these four practices.” Taking the Buddha’s teachings and being able to apply them to sentient beings is called transmitting the Dharma-lineage “[Sentient beings] have faith and understanding for them to rely on. Then Bodhisattvas finally lead sentient beings toward the Right Path of the Great Vehicle.” If we want to benefit them, we need to achieve a level of mastery. We need to adapt to their capabilities and say things that make them happy, that they can accept, in order to draw them in. Thus we gradually lead them onto the Right Path.

Thus, the sutra says: They first draw them in with their desires, then lead them to enter the Buddha-wisdom.

“They first draw them in with their desires, then lead them to enter the Buddha-wisdom.” First, we must make use of all kinds of desires [We say,] “If you work earnestly, then you will attain benefits. If you give to others, this creates blessings. With blessings, you will earn a lot of money!” In fact, creating blessings is not about money; we are forming good affinities so we can pave a path to attaining Buddhahood in the future. Creating blessings requires forming good connections with sentient beings. Then when they see us, they will feel happy. We do not need to say much, yet when they see what we are doing, they are willing to follow us. This is the power of love and also virtue; with diligent practice, internally we strive to [cultivate our minds], and externally we manifest the appearance of virtue. Naturally, if we want to benefit sentient beings, we must gradually draw them in.

The Buddha knew sentient beings’ various desires and pleasures and the power of their aspirations, To give us superior powers of understanding, He expounded the sutras.

“The Buddha knew sentient beings’ various desires and pleasures and the power of their aspirations”. The Buddha fully understood the desires of sentient beings, what they were pursuing. How could the Buddha help everyone understand and make their aspirations firm? In order to strengthen our aspirations, He hoped to help us gain superior powers of understanding. Being both strong and powerful is called “superior.” If our aspirations are not powerful enough, we will easily give rise to discursive thoughts. Then when minor challenges appear, ignorance and afflictions will arise, and we retreat. So, for the sake of helping us strengthen the power of our aspirations, the Buddha taught many sutras

Sutras: It means prose that resonates. Resonate means resonating with the wondrous principles of all Buddhas, as well as with sentient beings’ capabilities. The word sutra means thread; these weave together the meanings of the Dharma so they do not become lost.

Sutras: It means “prose that resonates.” Resonate means resonating with the wondrous principles of all Buddhas, as well as with sentient beings’ capabilities. The word “sutra” means thread; these weave together the meanings of the Dharma so they do not become lost. We are talking about “sutras,” not “asuras”; they sound similar, but we must clearly distinguish them. “Sutra” is translated as “prose that resonates.” This means all of the [Buddhist] texts are “prose that resonates. Prose that resonates” is called “sutra. Resonates” means it resonates with “the wondrous principles of all Buddhas.” We often speak of taking the Buddha’s mind as our own mind. We must resonate with the Buddha’s principles for the Buddha’s principles to remain in the world. So, we need to be mindful to pass on His principles in the present day. Thus, they “resonate with the wondrous principles of all Buddhas, as well as with sentient beings’ capabilities.” The capabilities of sentient beings come in all kinds and are very complex. How could He guide them to eliminate ignorance and dedicate themselves to the Buddha-Dharma? The Buddha put so much thought into this, hoping we could resonate with the wondrous principles of all Buddhas, as well as with sentient beings’ capabilities.

For example, among our Tzu Chi volunteers, there are some who are wealthy, yet they are willing to walk into the most impoverished and challenging environments to clean [the homes of our care recipients]. Unafraid of the filth on them, our volunteers embrace them. When they see their faces brimming with tears, volunteers are quick to wipe away the tears. These are examples of Living Bodhisattvas. So, being a Bodhisattva is not so difficult, as long as we can eliminate our afflictions and resonate with the Buddha’s wondrous principles as well as with sentient beings’ capabilities. The people who suffer and need our help not only need material aid, but also love that can deeply touch their hearts. This is the most sincere great love.

So, sutras are like a long thread that ties together all the best principles. If we do not want the Dharma to leak away, we need “prose that resonates.” This is just like stringing beads; they are strung together like precious beads. When we string these teachings together, this long string of precious beads will not scatter

[He] teaches according to what they could accept: Sentient beings have different interests and hence different aspirations. He adapted to what they could accept and taught using analogies. This was all taught according to the scope of the roots they brought from past lives

“[He] teaches according to what they accept. Sentient beings have different interests.” Sentient beings’ interests are all different “and hence [they have] different aspirations.” Everyone has different interests and pursuits. Because sentient beings are so complex, the Buddha had to adapt to them. He gave them teachings which suited their needs, thus He used various analogies. He used stories, or made analogies out of events, such as mistakes others made in the past, and how they corrected themselves. These were the methods that He would put it into practice. “This was all taught according to the scope of the roots they brought from past lives.” He always taught according to capabilities, giving the correct medicine for the disease. When the Buddha came to this world, that was His goal in teaching sentient beings.

Using countless analogies, He expounds the Dharma for them: He did not teach according to His own intent and what He had realized. He observed what was fitting for their capacities, and according to what they could suitably accept, He expounded the Three Vehicles. Thus it says: Using countless analogies, He expounds the Dharma for them. This is the all-embracing virtue of charitable giving.

“Using countless analogies, He expounds the Dharma for them”. The Buddha would not directly communicate. His realization to sentient beings, or say, “I am like this; why can’t you be like me?” The Buddha knew, “If I tried to tell you about my state [of awakening], you would not understand. I must accord with the states of your minds so that I can help you understand.” But their capacities differed, so He gave them the Three Vehicles. Thus, “Using countless analogies, He expounds the Dharma for them.” He used all kinds of methods and gave them analogies to teach the Dharma. This is the “all-embracing virtue of charitable giving,” one of the “Four All-Embracing Virtues,” which we call “charitable giving.”

He does so according to sentient beings’ roots of goodness from past lives: Sentient beings have different interests and hence different aspirations. He adapted to what they could accept and taught using analogies. This was all taught according to the scope of the roots they brought from past lives.

“He [did] so according to sentient beings’ roots of goodness from past lives.” From past lives, sentient beings have their own roots of goodness and their own inclinations. They possess a mix of good and evil. Although they had created karma, they also created some good causes and conditions. So, “Sentient beings have different interests and hence different aspirations.” The Buddha adapted to what they could accept and taught according to their capabilities.

As Buddhist practitioners, we need to be mindful. Sentient beings’ capacities are so complicated. Since we have formed the aspiration to enter the Buddha’s door and want to accept the teachings of the Buddha-Dharma, we must aspire to resonate with the wondrous principles of the Buddha-Dharma as well as with sentient being’s abilities.

We have already received the teachings, so we must aspire to practice the Bodhisattva-path. We need to strengthen our Bodhisattva-aspirations. Only if we can discern good from evil can we become Bodhisattvas. Sentient beings are so complicated, so we must exercise the power of our aspirations. We must persevere with the strength of our mission and spirit in order to be able to spread the Buddha-Dharma and repay the Buddha’s grace. By transforming sentient beings we repay His grace. So, we must always be mindful.

Episode 862 – Letting Go of Self to Unite with Others

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>> All Dharma are without any true appearance. Like the endless void, all things are interconnected and mutually in harmony without hindering each other. Similarly, with the One Dharma, we can let go of ourselves to unite with others. Then we are completely one with others. We embrace others to unite with us.

>> “All Buddhas are extraordinary, with infinite, boundless and inconceivable great spiritual powers.”       [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> “Flawless and uncontriving, They are the kings of all Dharma. For the sake of those with limited capabilities, They could endure such matters.”        [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> “They appear as unenlightened beings to give them suitable teachings. All Buddhas are the most free and at ease abiding in the Dharma”       [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> Flawless and uncontriving: This refers to the fruit of great Nirvana which all Buddhas have realized. This is flawless, without Leaks. Afflictions can cause people to fall into the Three Evil Destinies. As long as afflictions are present, people have so-called flawed practices. The Dharma, which is free from afflictions, is called flawless.

>> They are the kings of all Dharma: The original nature of the Buddha-mind reveals that sentient beings and Buddhas equally possess this pure heart and intrinsic nature. All Buddhas awaken to all phenomena being of the One Mind, of the ultimate reality, that is of non-appearance and of all appearances.

>> These Infinite Meanings arise from One Dharma. This One Dharma is of non-appearance.

>> It is the mind that makes one an ordinary being. It is the mind that makes one a Bodhisattva or Buddha. We should observe the nature of the Dharma-realm; everything is created by the mind. Thus, They are the kings of all Dharma, and with great compassion, They turn delusion into awakening.

>> For the sake of those with limited capabilities, they could endure such matters: As described in the long-form prose, he immediately removed his necklaces, his fine and soft outer garments and his magnificent adornments and, changing into coarse and dirty clothing, he smeared himself with dust and dirt. With his right hand grabbing tools for clearing excrement, he assumed a frightened look.

>> The Buddha does not remain in the land of Dharma-nature, but comes and goes in the Saha World. He appears the same as sentient beings with the Eight Aspects of Attaining Enlightenment. To deliver and liberate sentient beings, He uses the all-embracing virtue of collaborative work.

>> They appear as unenlightened beings to give them suitable teachings: The Buddha follows whatever is suitable for sentient beings. He skillfully uses the Dharma, whether through matters or principles, to teach the precepts and good deeds that lead to the human and heaven realms. Thus, sentient beings in the Five Turbidities will not fall into the Three Evil Destinies. He then uses the One Vehicle to reveal the Three, so they will not remain in the Three Realms, but gradually enter the place of noble beings. This was all to integrate all Dharma harmoniously so matters and principles would be unhindered. Among the Four All-Embracing Virtues, this is the virtue of loving speech.

>> With the Dharma, all Buddhas are the most free and at ease: With all Dharma-doors, the Buddha is the most free and at ease. He uses Dharma-doors that correspond to various capabilities to teach the Dharma and transform all beings, allowing them to attain ease. Using all Dharma, He allows them to attain the greatest ease. Thus, it is clear and not erroneous.

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“All Dharma are without any true appearance. Like the endless void, all things are interconnected and mutually in harmony without hindering each other.
Similarly, with the One Dharma, we can let go of ourselves to unite with others. Then we are completely one with others. We embrace others to unite with us.”

The mind of the Buddha thoroughly understands all Dharma. This Dharma is without true appearance, like the endless void where all things are interconnected and in harmony without hindering each other. This is the Buddha’s mind; it has awakened to all Dharma, which is without true appearance.

We often say that the true principles are without form or substance. They have no actual appearance for us to see. In fact, everything is like the endless void. Being like the void means being interconnected and in harmony. In the void of the universe, if we look up, we see the sun, moon and stars. The sun is its own world, the moon is its own world and the stars are their own worlds. The sun, moon and planets all belong to the same universe. All are interconnected and in harmony and do not hinder each other. Each star and planet has its own path and orbit.

The Buddha completely understands these principles. With just a few words, He is able to reveal all, that all Dharma has no true appearance. The true principles are like the unique orbits of each planet. Each orbit has its own principle, its own path and its own principle. In this universe, each [celestial object] has its own orbit, yet they all coexist in the same universe. The void allows them to be in harmony without hindering each other.

But these principles are without appearance. Still, when these principles come together, they create things that are tangible. For human beings, our body also has its own principles of life. From the first day of our conception, following the aggregate of action, we slowly change and begin to take shape. These are the principles of life.

They can be spoken of, but not seen. These principles of life cannot be seen, but we can see our body. This temporary union of the four elements, a completion of principles of life, is what we call a body. This body, when we are born, is that of a tiny child. Then when did it change? From that tiny baby, when was it that we gradually grew up? These are the aggregate of action’s infinitesimal changes that occur without our awareness. Our body is continually changing all the way until our old age, until the very end. This whole process only takes a few decades.

Life has always been impermanent; impermanence is a true principle. We cannot see impermanence; it is in our lives, but we do not realize it. Whether inside or outside of our bodies, these principles are in all things, including the orbit of the Earth. As the Earth follows its orbit, it revolves and rotates; these are the principles. Yet we are not aware of this happening.

The Buddha taught us these principles to help us to thoroughly understand that there are these unseen principles that are intimately connected to all of us. We must understand this; we must awaken to it. We must experience this right away, to comprehend how all phenomena are without appearance, like the void, interconnected, in harmony, without hindrance. If we can thoroughly understand these principles, we will then be able to open the door of our mind.

“Similarly, with the One Dharma we can let go of ourselves to unite with others.” If we ourselves have attachments, our nature of True Suchness cannot be revealed. This is due to being covered by ignorance. This ignorance arises because we are unwilling to let go of our “self.” Our “view of self” is too great. Everyone has their own view of self. So [we say], “I want this; this is mine.” If we do not have it, we desire it. If we cannot get it, we fight for it, [feeling], “I must obtain it” and so on. Once we have obtained it, is it enough? It is never enough. Thus we continue to replicate this ignorance, because we [are attached to] the “self” and to everything we want to possess. This is because we cannot let go of ourselves.

If we thoroughly understand that. “All Dharma are without any true appearance, like the void, interconnected and in mutual harmony,” if we are able to understand this principle and understand this Dharma, we will be able to “let go of ourselves to unite with others.” We will put aside our view of self. To accomplish things, we must be able to accommodate everyone’s opinions. We can learn from each other’s strengths and combine our strengths and methods. We interact with “sincere friendship.” Thus we are interconnected and in harmony. We “let go of ourselves to unite with others. Then we are completely one with others.” With this perspective, as the truth is fundamentally without form and substance, if everyone can connect to and understand it, we can unite as one and act as a unified whole. Thus, “We embrace others to unite with us.” The principle is the same; we are using these phenomena as analogies to express this principle.

The Buddha’s grace toward sentient beings is truly great, deep, vast and incomparable. How can we repay the Buddha’s grace? He hopes for the minds of sentient beings to return to oneness, to return to the absolute truth and the principles of True Suchness. This is what the Buddha wants. If everyone is able to transform themselves and also transform others, that is truly repaying the Buddha’s grace.

The previous sutra passage says, “All Buddhas are extraordinary, with infinite, boundless and inconceivable great spiritual powers.”

The Buddha’s wisdom is truly rare and extraordinary in this world. Is there anything that He does not know or any Dharma He does not understand? But sentient beings’ capacities fall far short of this. For sentient beings’ sake, the Buddha uses all kinds of provisional means and spends a long time teaching and transforming them.

The next sutra passage says, “Flawless and uncontriving, They are the kings of all Dharma. For the sake of those with limited capabilities, They could endure such matters.”

What is the state of the Buddha’s true wisdom? “Flawless and uncontriving, They are the kings of all Dharma.” They have already reached a [flawless] state where no Dharma leaks away. In terms of the time this has taken, it has already been countless kalpas, lifetime after lifetime of constant compassion, wanting to save and transform sentient beings. In terms of space, They have covered a boundless area; no matter what state They are in, in the Five Realms or four forms of birth, They do not allow the Dharma to leak away. Following the capacities of sentient beings, They manifest with the same conditions as them, while the principles of all things in this world never leak out of Their minds. “They are the kings of all Dharma. For the sake of those with limited capabilities, They could endure such matters.” Only Buddhas are able to endure like this. Over such a long time, across boundless space, They endure for the sake of sentient beings.

“They appear as unenlightened beings to give them suitable teachings.” They appear as ordinary beings and expound Dharma according to all beings’ capacities. Thus, “With the Dharma, all Buddhas are the most free and at ease.”

In fact, all Buddhas, not only Sakyamuni Buddha, after attaining enlightenment, have the Dharma and are free and at ease. Yet, They choose to return to the human realm. No matter how long it takes, if sentient beings are not yet purified, these Buddhas will continue to return to the human realm. This requires transcending wisdom and boundless compassion. Only then can one reach a flawless and uncontriving state.

Flawless and uncontriving: This refers to the fruit of great Nirvana which all Buddhas have realized. This is flawless, without Leaks. Afflictions can cause people to fall into the Three Evil Destinies. As long as afflictions are present, people have so-called flawed practices. The Dharma, which is free from afflictions, is called flawless.

Flawless means They have no more afflictions. “Uncontriving” means natural; it is the state of nature. It is not something that has been created; it has always been like this. Thus, “flawless and uncontriving” refers to the origin of all Dharma and principles

 “The fruit of great Nirvana which all Buddhas have realized” is called flawless. The great Nirvana is tranquil and still; it is “tranquil and clear,” with no afflictions. All afflictions have been eliminated. This is a very pure [state].

“Afflictions can cause people to fall into the Three Evil Destinies.” With afflictions, we fall. Where do we fall? Into the Three Evil Destinies. When we engage in spiritual practice, we hope we can reach a flawless state. But, our minds are still full of ignorance. Thus, because of afflictions, we have flawed practices. “The Dharma, which is free from afflictions, is called flawless.” So, we must listen to the Dharma and truly take the Dharma to heart to be able to leave our afflictions behind. This is a flawless state.

They are the kings of all Dharma: The original nature of the Buddha-mind reveals that sentient beings and Buddhas equally possess this pure heart and intrinsic nature. All Buddhas awaken to all phenomena being of the One Mind, of the ultimate reality, that is of non-appearance and of all appearances.

So, “They are the kings of all Dharma” because “the original nature of the Buddha-mind” is tranquil and clear, the natural intrinsic enlightenment of True Suchness. So, “It reveals that sentient beings and Buddhas equally possess this pure heart and intrinsic nature. All Buddhas awaken to all phenomena being of the One Mind, of the ultimate reality that is of non-appearance and of all appearances.”

The Buddha, upon attaining enlightenment, said, “How amazing! How amazing! All sentient beings have Buddha-nature.” This was the Buddha’s greatest discovery. He understood, “[He] awakened to all phenomena being of the One Mind, of the ultimate reality that is of non-appearance and of all appearances.” He had already awakened to the fact that true principles are flawless and of non-appearance. This means being of the One Mind, our nature of True Suchness. In the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, it also says, ․”These Infinite Meanings arise from One Dharma. This One Dharma is of non-appearance.”

It is the mind that makes one an ordinary being. It is the mind that makes one a Bodhisattva or Buddha. We should observe the nature of the Dharma-realm; everything is created by the mind. Thus, They are the kings of all Dharma, and with great compassion, They turn delusion into awakening.

So, if we can understand that all things “arise from one Dharma,” we will naturally understand the principles of all things in this world. “It is the mind that makes one an ordinary being,” and it is the mind that makes one a Bodhisattva or a Buddha. It all depends on the mind

“The mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different”. Our minds are the same as that of the Buddha, so all things in this world, all phenomena, are also the same. “We should observe the nature of the Dharma-realm.” We must earnestly contemplate the Dharma, the nature of the principles. “Everything is created by the mind.” When our minds are evil, we create much karma and fall into the lower realms. When our minds are clear, we can become Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. So, this all begins in our mind. The Buddha understands this the best. The Buddha is the “king of all Dharma. The king of all Dharma” refers to the intrinsic nature of enlightenment.

“With great compassion, They turn delusion into awakening.” If we are able to awaken and give rise to this great compassion, apart from transforming our minds from being deluded to being awakened, we can use this same Dharma to enlighten other sentient beings. After awakening ourselves, we transform others. This is truly repaying the Buddha’s grace.

For the sake of those with limited capabilities, they could endure such matters: As described in the long-form prose, he immediately removed his necklaces, his fine and soft outer garments and his magnificent adornments and, changing into coarse and dirty clothing, he smeared himself with dust and dirt. With his right hand grabbing tools for clearing excrement, he assumed a frightened look.

The Buddha, in lifetime after lifetime, could “for the sake of those with limited capabilities, endure such matters.” This is His grace and virtue  The long-form prose in the Chapter on Faith and Understanding [says] that the elder personally took off “his necklaces, his fine and soft outer garments and his magnificent adornments.” He removed his magnificent jewelry and clothes and changed into cast-off rags. He changed into clothes that were dirty and coarse to draw near to the poor son. Working together with the poor son, he cleaned and swept with him. This is the Buddha’s heart. He manifests in the Saha World.

The Buddha does not remain in the land of Dharma-nature, but comes and goes in the Saha World. He appears the same as sentient beings with the Eight Aspects of Attaining Enlightenment. To deliver and liberate sentient beings, He uses the all-embracing virtue of collaborative work.

“The Buddha does not remain in the land of Dharma-nature, but comes and goes in the Saha World”  Since the Buddha has awakened, the state of His mind can always reside in the tranquil and clear, undefiled and pure land. But He does not remain there. He comes and goes in the harsh Saha World. He “appears the same as sentient beings with the Eight Aspects of Attaining Enlightenment.” He left Tusita Heaven and was born into the palace. He came to the human realm. Because the Buddha wants to transform sentient beings, He “transforms them by working alongside them.” He puts the Dharma into practice to guide and teach us.

They appear as unenlightened beings to give them suitable teachings: The Buddha follows whatever is suitable for sentient beings. He skillfully uses the Dharma, whether through matters or principles, to teach the precepts and good deeds that lead to the human and heaven realms. Thus, sentient beings in the Five Turbidities will not fall into the Three Evil Destinies. He then uses the One Vehicle to reveal the Three, so they will not remain in the Three Realms, but gradually enter the place of noble beings. This was all to integrate all Dharma harmoniously so matters and principles would be unhindered. Among the Four All-Embracing Virtues, this is the virtue of loving speech.

“They use the appearance of unenlightened beings to give them suitable teachings.” All Buddhas appear as sentient beings. They seize the opportunity to give teachings. Thus, “The Buddha follows whatever is suitable for sentient beings.” According to the capacities and needs of sentient beings, “He skillfully uses the Dharma, whether through matters or principles, to teach the precepts and good deeds that lead to the human and heaven realms.” Based on the capacities of sentient beings, He expounds the Dharma for the human realm, that everyone must abide by the Five Precepts. To be born in the heaven realm, everyone must practice the Ten Good Deeds. This way, sentient beings in the Five Turbidities will not fall into the Three Evil Realms

The teaching of the Buddha “uses the One Vehicle to reveal the Three.” When the Buddha became enlightened, He wished to directly tell us that the mind, the Buddha and sentient beings are no different. Everyone can attain Buddhahood, but sentient beings are unable to directly hear and understand. Thus, the Buddha must use the One Vehicle to establish provisional means and reveal the Three, “so they will not remain in the Three Realms.” The Three Realms are the desire realm, form realm and formless realm. He hopes that we can gradually enter the state of noble beings and approach the state of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

“This was to integrate all Dharma harmoniously.” He hopes that with this Dharma, having opened the Three Vehicles from the One, He can slowly guide sentient beings toward reintegrating with the One Vehicle Path. So, “Matters and principles would be unobstructed.” In the Four All-Embracing Virtues, this is using “loving speech.” Thus we patiently guide sentient beings as the One Vehicle becomes Three so that sentient beings can hear and receive the teaching. This is “loving speech.” He started with “collaborative work,” then followed it with “loving speech.”

With the Dharma, all Buddhas are the most free and at ease: With all Dharma-doors, the Buddha is the most free and at ease. He uses Dharma-doors that correspond to various capabilities to teach the Dharma and transform all beings, allowing them to attain ease. Using all Dharma, He allows them to attain the greatest ease. Thus, it is clear and not erroneous.

“With the Dharma, all Buddhas are the most free and at ease. With all Dharma-doors,” the Buddha is “the most free and at ease”
“He uses Dharma-doors that correspond to various capabilities to teach the Dharma and transform all beings, allowing them to attain ease.” Depending on the capacities of sentient beings, He uses different teachings so sentient beings can be at ease and take the Dharma expounded by the Buddha to heart. If we take it to heart and it does not slip away, the Dharma can remain in our hearts. If we take it to heart and put it into practice, then we can attain great ease.

The Buddha came to the human realm to help us understand that we must harmonize the minds of all people to be one with the Buddha’s mind. This is the One Dharma, letting go of ourselves to unite with others. If we do not let go of our own attachments and biases, we cannot transform sentient beings. The Dharma of sentient beings is the Bodhisattva-path we must practice. Thus, in learning the Buddha’s Way, we must always be mindful.

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Episode 861 – Upholding the Teachings and Respecting the Dharma

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>> Externally we make offerings with material wealth and medicine. Physically we make offerings of reverence and service. Internally we make offerings of upholding teachings and respecting the Dharma. In this way we seek the Right Dharma and transform sentient beings.

>> “[If we were to] offer wonderful meals, countless articles of precious clothing and all sorts of bedding, various kinds of medicine, or use ox-head sandalwood and all kinds of precious treasures to build stupas and temples, or cover the ground with precious cloth….”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> “[If we were to] make offerings with all of these things and more over kalpas numerous as the Ganges’ sands, we still could not repay this grace.”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> [If we were to] make offerings with all of these things and more: The highest quality things were used to make offerings.

>> Over kalpas numerous as the Ganges’ sands, we still could not repay this grace: Though many kalpas will have passed, it will not be enough to fully repay this grace.

>> The Buddha’s ten kinds of grace toward all beings:
1. His initial resolve to universally save all
2. His engaging in difficult and ascetic practices
3. His consistent dedication to working for others
4. His descending into all Six Realms
5. His following sentient beings wherever they go
6. His profound and powerful great compassion
7. His hiding a superior state to manifest a humble one
8. His hiding the true to teach the provisional
9. His manifesting Parinirvana to inspire respect
10. His boundless compassion.

>> “All Buddhas are extraordinary, with infinite, boundless and inconceivable great spiritual powers.”      [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> What all Buddhas have realized is the extraordinary Dharma. Making tangible offerings to them is always an ordinary matter.

>> The Dharma of all Buddhas is infinite and boundless. All tangible offerings are finite and bounded. Making tangible offerings to repay this grace shows limited knowledge and understanding and a contrived and limited intent.

>> All Buddhas are extraordinary: Buddhas appear in the world as rarely as the udumbara flower, whose appearance is very fleeting. Thus it is called extraordinary.

>> [They are] infinite, boundless and inconceivable: This is praising the virtues Buddhas possess as extraordinary, infinite and inconceivable.

>> Great spiritual powers: This refers to the Buddha hiding the true virtue of His reward-body to manifest the provisional appearance of His transformation-body. He did not reside in pure lands but lived in these defiled places, following ordinary beings to give true teachings according to their capabilities. He hid the true to give the provisional and from the One revealed the Three.

>> The Buddha’s spiritual power knows no limits nor has any bounds. Our minds cannot conceive it nor can it be reached with verbal explanations. Thus it is called “great”.

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“Externally we make offerings with material wealth and medicine. Physically we make offerings of reverence and service.
Internally we make offerings of upholding teachings and respecting the Dharma.
 In this way we seek the Right Dharma and transform sentient beings.”

We constantly say that the Buddha’s grace is immense and profound; how can we repay it? Do we use physical labor to repay His grace? Or do we use material wealth, the most precious objects, to make offerings? Can we repay the Buddha’s grace in this way? “[Offerings of] material wealth” consist of the Four Offerings. The Four Offerings are the clothing, food, shelter and medicine that maintain the body’s health. We use these to make offerings. These are the Four Offerings. We can also make physical offerings of reverence. Physical offerings of reverence include prostrating with utmost respect. We must not only offer our reverence, but also “make offerings…of service.” In addition to offering material things, we must express great reverence and offer up our physical labor as well. This is how we respectfully make offerings. This is how we make offerings,

but how do we actually repay the Buddha’s grace? Are these enough to repay His grace? Probably not. So what can we do? Of course, spiritual practice is an important part. “Internally we make offerings of upholding teachings and respecting the Dharma.” These are the greatest offerings. These are offerings of conduct.

The Buddha needs us sentient beings to “internally uphold the teachings.” We must listen to the Dharma with genuine sincerity and respect. Only when we mindfully listen to the Dharma and accept what it teaches can we take these teachings and actualize them in our lives. Then we have truly accepted the Dharma from the Buddha and made it a large part of our lives. We call this developing our wisdom-life. This is what the Buddha hopes for most.

Moreover, we “make offerings [by] respecting the Dharma.” Having accepted the Buddha’s teachings, we should express them outwardly. We take the Dharma to heart and then manifest it in our actions. In doing so, we are truly making offerings.

We must “seek the Right Dharma and transform sentient beings.” Seeing this is what makes the Buddha most happy. “Seeking” is earnestly and diligently advancing. Time passes so quickly. How long does a single lifetime last? Today we have this body, and today we are listening to the Dharma. If we do not immediately accept it and take it to heart today, we will continue to remain deluded in this unenlightened state, muddled, indolent and very lax. Living this kind of life, passing our days like this, is living an empty life. This would be such a shame.

So, the Buddha loved and cared for sentient beings in hopes they would love themselves and respect their own intrinsic Buddha-nature. When He sees that everyone cherishes themselves and understands that they must use this body to transform themselves in this lifetime, when He sees this diligence, that will put His mind at ease.

The Buddha is the kind father of sentient beings. Why is the Buddha’s grace to sentient beings so tremendous? The relationship between parents and children lasts only for a single lifetime, but the one between the Buddha and sentient beings has lasted countless kalpas. For a long time, He has returned repeatedly solely to help sentient beings awaken and be able to make use of their lives to quickly seek the Buddha-Dharma. Only when they have taken the Dharma to heart can they understand the principles. So, everyone must seek the Right Dharma. We must respect the teacher and the Path and continually seek the Dharma. To seize the moment to “transform sentient beings” we go among people to create good affinities. This [act of] “seeking the Right Dharma and transforming sentient beings” is the greatest offering we can make. So, this is what we must mindfully do.

The previous sutra passage says, “[If we were to] offer wonderful meals, countless articles of precious clothing and all sorts of bedding, various kinds of medicine, or use ox-head sandalwood and all kinds of precious treasures to build stupas and temples, or cover the ground with precious cloth….”

These offerings are made with precious things. Among these, “ox-head” does not refer to real ox heads. It refers to incense, Chinese Agarwood and sandalwood and other high-quality woods. These are very fragrant and very precious. They originate from a certain mountain. Looking at that mountain from a distance, it looks just like an ox’s head.

So, the wood from that mountain is very precious. Sandalwood, Chinese Agarwood and such all came from that place. The stupas for the Buddha’s sariras were built and decorated using these kinds of precious wood. People even “covered the ground with precious cloth.” They likely used very expensive cloth to cover the ground; they showed their respect by using the most precious materials.

The next sutra passage says, “[If we were to] make offerings with all of these things and more over kalpas numerous as the Ganges’ sands, we still could not repay this grace.”

They used things of such high quality to make their offerings. During the Buddha’s lifetime they made offerings. After His Parinirvana, they still made offerings. With all of these things and more, with such great amounts, making offerings of such precious things and doing so for a very long time, they were still unable to repay Him. This is because the Buddha has truly spent a very long time for sentient beings’ sake. Despite sentient beings’ stubbornness, with the Buddha’s compassion. He taught them in this way. His grace toward them was tremendous indeed

[If we were to] make offerings with all of these things and more: The highest quality things were used to make offerings.

So, even if we made offerings with the highest quality things, over a long period of time. His grace would still be impossible to repay

Over kalpas numerous as the Ganges’ sands, we still could not repay this grace: Though many kalpas will have passed, it will not be enough to fully repay this grace.

Though many kalpas may pass, it will still be impossible to completely repay the Buddha’s grace. It is still not enough to repay His immense grace

The Buddha’s ten kinds of grace toward all beings: 1. His initial resolve to universally save all 2. His engaging in difficult and ascetic practices 3. His consistent dedication to working for others 4. His descending into all Six Realms 5. His following sentient beings wherever they go 6. His profound and powerful great compassion 7. His hiding a superior state to manifest a humble one 8. His hiding the true to teach the provisional 9. His manifesting Parinirvana to inspire respect 10. His boundless compassion.

These ten kinds of grace toward sentient beings are just a few simple examples. How could there only be ten kinds! What are these ten kinds?

The first is. “His initial resolve to universally save all.” The Buddha’s grace toward sentient beings extends throughout the Five Realms and the four forms of birth. He treats all sentient beings as His only child. So, He is the guiding teacher of the Three Realms and the kind father of the four kinds of beings. He even treats the four kinds of beings as. His only child, completely embracing all sentient beings in His heart of loving-kindness. From the moment He formed His initial aspiration, He has continually practiced the flawless Dharma without ceasing. He continually did this for the sake of all sentient beings universally; He returned to save and transform them. This grace is. “His initial resolve to universally save all.”

The second grace is. “His engaging in difficult and ascetic practices.” This really was very difficult. In order to draw near sentient beings and create affinities with them, the Buddha manifested in the Five Realms and four forms of birth. He suffered all kinds of torment, which strengthened His will to practice. This is how He teaches sentient beings. So this is “engaging in difficult and ascetic practices.” Transforming sentient beings is painstaking work, and spiritual practice is even more of a trial.

The third grace is. “His consistent dedication to working for others.” The Buddha only thinks of others, never of Himself. From the very beginning, from engaging in spiritual practice to attaining Buddhahood, His sole purpose was to help sentient beings to transcend their suffering, not to attain peace and joy for Himself. This is. “His consistent dedication to working for others.” He works only for others, not Himself.

The fourth is “His descent into all Six Realms.” The Buddha, through His spiritual practice, could have already put an end to cyclic existence and not returned to the Six Realms. Yet, because of the suffering faced by sentient beings in the Six Realms along with their ignorance, the Buddha entered the Six Realms and experienced the same kind of life as them to teach them.

The fifth grace is. “His following sentient beings wherever they go.” He follows them wherever the affinities are. This is like when a young child is confused and has truly lost his way, so he does not know his way home; [his father] chases after him, seeking him out, to try to bring him home. This is like the Buddha “following sentient beings wherever they go.”

The sixth grace is. “His profound and powerful great compassion.” In the Buddha’s great compassion, He feels no resentment, no discontentment and no regret toward sentient beings. This is absolutely how He gives; for their sake He gives everything He has. Sentient beings are still suffering, so His compassion for them is never exhausted. This is the grace of the Buddha.

The seventh grace is “His hiding a superior state to manifest a humble one.” The Buddha has already attained the perfect fruit, universal and perfect enlightenment. However, in order to transfom sentient beings. He has to hide it. Instead He manifested [an ordinary] form. After over a decade of spiritual practice, five years of seeking answers and six years of ascetic practice, He finally attained Buddhahood. This was “His hiding a superior state to manifest a humble one.” This is also how the Buddha manifested.

The eighth grace is. “His hiding the true to teach the provisional.” After His awakening, only after the Agama, the Vaipulya and the. Prajna teachings did He give the Lotus teachings. He patiently guided everyone in this way, “hiding the true to teach the provisional.” In the end, He wanted to tell people that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature and is equal to the Buddha. But in the past we could not understand this, so He had to “hide the true to teach the provisional.”

The ninth grace is. “His manifesting Parinirvana to inspire respect.” The Buddha could have lived a very long time. But since He was born human, though He was a Buddha, was enlightened, He still had to manifest aging, illness and death so that [after His Parinirvana] people would express their respect for Him, so that everyone would know the way He had, more than 2000 years ago, engaged in spiritual practice and transformed sentient beings in this world.

The tenth grace is “His boundless compassion.” Though the Buddha entered Parinirvana, He still hoped that sentient beings would be able to uphold the teachings and practice accordingly; this is the Buddha’s love being spread throughout the world.

So, to put it simply, the Buddha has shown infinite grace toward us, so we should repay the Buddha with a heart of gratitude.

Next, it says, “All Buddhas are extraordinary, with infinite, boundless and inconceivable great spiritual powers.”

All Buddhas, not just Sakyamuni Buddha, but also the many Buddhas in the distant past, have infinite, boundless and inconceivable great spiritual powers.

What all Buddhas have realized is the extraordinary Dharma. Making tangible offerings to them is always an ordinary matter.

All Buddhas have realized extraordinary Dharma. The Great Enlightened One of great awakening and great realizations bestowed these kinds of grace on us, but if we only repay Him with tangible offerings, which are quite ordinary, how could this possibly repay the Buddha’s grace?

The Dharma of all Buddhas is infinite and boundless. All tangible offerings are finite and bounded. Making tangible offerings to repay this grace shows limited knowledge and understanding and a contrived and limited intent.

“The Dharma of all Buddhas” is “infinite and boundless”; so much was given to sentient beings according to their capabilities. Tangible offerings are all “finite and bounded”; they are not infinite and boundless. The Buddha-Dharma is infinite and boundless. We can only repay a finite and bounded amount of the Buddha’s grace; this is using very ordinary, surface-level appearances of “repaying this grace.” This “shows limited knowledge and understanding” and a mind with “contrived and limited intent.”

The Dharma the Buddha attained and gives to sentient beings is infinite, boundless, but sentient beings can only repay Him with limited intent. So, this helps us understand that the true wisdom the Buddha realized is profound, vast and inconceivable, so plentiful. This is the wisdom realized by the Buddha; what He universally gave to sentient beings was truly plentiful.

All Buddhas are extraordinary: Buddhas appear in the world as rarely as the udumbara flower, whose appearance is very fleeting. Thus it is called extraordinary.

“All Buddhas are extraordinary.” It is rare for a Buddha to appear in this world  So, “Buddhas appear in the world” as rarely as the udumbara flower. The udumbara flower only appears once every several thousand years. So, each Buddha that appears in this world and attains Buddhahood is truly precious and extraordinary. “Its appearance is very fleeting.” This is the analogy of the udumbara flower. It does not bloom for long; it quickly disappears. The Buddha manifested in the human world, and as the human lifespan is short, He was only here for 80 years.

So, we must cherish the fact that the Buddha-Dharma can remain [in this world] for millions of years. We hope His Dharmakaya (Dharma-body) will remain here forever; this depends on all of us passing it down. If we do, the spirit of the Buddha-Dharma will always live on in this world; This is the way for it to be long-lasting; a body made of flesh could not be long-lasting.

[They are] infinite, boundless and inconceivable: This is praising the virtues Buddhas possess as extraordinary, infinite and inconceivable.

So, [Their powers] are “infinite, boundless and inconceivable”. We should give great praise to the Buddha. His enlightened wisdom is infinite, boundless and inconceivable. A Buddha is precious and extraordinary and appears so rarely. After His awakening, the Dharma He understands is infinite, boundless. Thus, the love He has for sentient beings is also inexhaustible.

Great spiritual powers: This refers to the Buddha hiding the true virtue of His reward-body to manifest the provisional appearance of His transformation-body. He did not reside in pure lands but lived in these defiled places, following ordinary beings to give true teachings according to their capabilities. He hid the true to give the provisional and from the One revealed the Three.

So, “Great spiritual powers” refers to the Buddha “hiding the true virtue of His reward-body”  Though He came to the human realm, He hid His virtue, His Buddha-virtue. He lived among the people, in the Sangha. Like everyone else, every day He went out to beg for alms. He “manifested the provisional appearance of His transformation-body.” This was the “provisional”; with these skillful means. His manifested a form like everyone else’s.

“He did not reside in the pure lands” but in the defiled places of the Saha World. For the sake of transforming sentient beings, “He lived in these defiled places.” So, He “followed ordinary beings.” He followed sentient beings in this way, looking for chances to teach and transform them. This is “giving true teachings according to their capabilities.” Because of our capabilities [are limited], He taught with great sincerity, concealing the true and giving the provisional. Thus after He had already attained Buddhahood, He nonetheless worked painstakingly among people.

The Buddha’s spiritual power knows no limits nor has any bounds. Our minds cannot conceive it nor can it be reached with verbal explanations. Thus it is called “great”.

So, “The Buddha’s spiritual power knows no limits nor has any bounds. Our minds cannot conceive of it.” It is not something that we regular people have the ability to conceive of. The Buddha’s grace toward us truly cannot be fully explained in words. The only way to describe it

is to say it is truly vast and without end. If we wish to repay the Buddha’s grace, we must go beyond using physical labor or our best possessions to make offerings to Him. What is most important, what is necessary, is to have reverence within and internally uphold the teachings. We must uphold the Buddha’s teachings within and make offerings by respecting the Dharma. Only by seeking the Dharma and transforming others are we truly repaying the Buddha’s grace.

Episode 860 – Only Offerings of Dharma Can Repay the Buddha

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>> To benefit all life, having compassion is the prerequisite. To wade through our existence, being patient is the foundation. To teach the Dharma, this is how we can benefit ourselves and others.

>> “Providing offerings with our hands and feet, fully prostrating to pay respect, all the offerings we make could never repay His grace. If we were to carry Him on our heads or bear Him on our shoulders over kalpas as numerous as the Ganges’ sand, and fully express our respect….”     [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> “Next, [If we were to] offer wonderful meals, countless articles of precious clothing, and all sorts of bedding, various kinds of medicine, or use ox-head sandalwood and all kinds of treasures to build stupas and temples, or cover the ground with precious cloth….”      [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> This refers to the offerings of material wealth, which are food, clothing, bedding and medicines. These are the Four Offerings.

>> After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, practitioners used precious sandalwood to build stupas to protect His sariras. Making offerings like this over kalpas numerous as the Ganges’s sand still cannot requite [the Buddha’s grace].

>> Why are we still unable to requite it? Of all offerings, the offering of the Dharma is the foremost. Only the offering of the Dharma. can truly repay the Buddha’s grace.

>> Because all Tathagatas respect the Buddha-Dharma, following and practicing what is taught gives birth to all Buddhas.

>> [If we were to] offer wonderful meals, countless articles of precious clothing, and all sorts of bedding, various kinds of medicine: We may offer fine and wonderful food, countless kinds of expensive and precious clothing and all sorts of beds and mattresses to lie on. Or we may offer all kinds of superior medicine.

>> Ox-head sandalwood: Break-away-from-Defilement Mountain is also called Lanka Mountain. The most precious fragrant wood comes from there. If ground into powder and applied to the body, fire will not burn the body.

>> The [Sutra of] Mindfulness of Right Dharma says: There is a mountain in Uttarakuru called Tall Mountain which produces ox-head sandalwood. The peak of this mountain is shaped like an ox head, and on this peak grows many sandalwood trees.

>> [If we were to use] all kinds of precious treasures to build stupas and temples: They use fragrant woods and all sorts of precious materials to build all kinds of stupas and temples for the Buddha.

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To benefit all life, having compassion is the prerequisite. To wade through our existence, being patient is the foundation. To teach the Dharma, as such, we can benefit ourselves and others.

“This is how we can benefit ourselves and others.” We must be mindful! We have been talking about how the Buddha comes to this world in hopes that everyone who hears the Dharma will be able to comprehend. With faith and understanding, we can take the Dharma to heart and turn its principles into something we can apply. This is the Buddha’s greatest hope and. His purpose in coming to this world.

Unfortunately, we sentient beings always have ignorance and afflictions obstructing the path before us. So, the Buddha continues to mindfully [teach] according to sentient beings’ capabilities. Whatever our capabilities, He uses methods and principles suitable for us to teach us the Dharma.

The Buddha spent decades teaching in this way. Look at His disciples; how much Dharma did they actually comprehend? Though they formed aspirations and practiced according to the teachings, the more they listened, the more they felt that the world [was filled with] suffering and worried that people, matters and things would contaminate their minds. So, they became increasingly scared and increasingly only wanted to care for themselves. They did not dare to contrive affinities with sentient beings.

“The Buddha said the Bodhisattva Way is about engaging with worldly matters. He must be teaching it for people in the world to go among the people in order to transform sentient beings. Although the Bodhisattva Way is good, He was not teaching it for me.” The Buddha saw that His disciples remained the same; they had not yet given rise to great aspirations. He was growing old, and His conditions for transforming this world were coming to an end. After He entered Parinirvana, who would pass on the Dharma? It had to be monastic practitioners who would transmit the Dharma-lineage. To do this, without forming great aspirations and great vows and teaching by example, how would they go among people to inspire them to become Living Bodhisattvas? So, the Buddha began to continuously praise [the Buddha-wisdom] at the Lotus Dharma-assembly. In the Chapter on Skillful Means, He continuously praised the Buddha-wisdom.

Everyone including Sariputra felt that the Buddha’s wisdom was profound and unlimited; it includes wisdom of all Dharma, natural wisdom, untaught wisdom, all-encompassing wisdom, wisdom of enlightenment and many other kinds. With this, Sariputra gave rise to a joyful heart. He repeatedly asked the Buddha to explain everything in more detail and analyze the Buddha’s wisdom and the state of the Buddha’s mind to know what state these have reached.

The Buddha then began to make this analysis, and as Sariputra comprehended the Buddha-mind, he began to form great aspirations and make great vows; he was willing to pass on the Dharma-lineage. The Buddha bestowing a prediction of Buddhahood on him inspired many to have confidence in themselves. “If Sariputra can attain Buddhahood in the future, we should be able to as well.” Thus, they began to contemplate. They became repentant. They repented that in the past they had been walking in place on this path. They just continued to practice [the teachings of] suffering, causation, cessation and the Path. Some actually asked, “How will the Bodhisattva-path benefit me? Even if I only seek to awaken myself, at least I will not fall back into the Six Realms and the four forms of birth.” For this reason, they were unable to open up their hearts. Now, they understood. “I should also comprehend, better understand, how to truly realize the Buddha-mind and attain a state equal to the Buddha’s. I should know how to do that.”

“As the Buddha engaged in spiritual practice, life after life His spiritual aspirations never changed. What about us?” Ordinary people form spiritual aspirations and earnestly engage in spiritual practice, then retreat from their aspirations midway, so they fall back [into the Six Realms]. However, for a long period of time, for countless kalpas, Sakyamuni Buddha [practiced] without interruption. By seeking the Dharma and transforming others in this way, He was able to attain Buddhahood. Now we understand that after benefiting ourselves, we must benefit all life; we must also benefit other people. We do not just practice for our own sake; we do it for everyone in the world. We must be concerned with all worldly matters and cherish all life in the world. Benefiting all things begins with compassion.

“To benefit all life, having compassion is the prerequisite. To wade through our existence, being patient is the foundation.” The willingness to give is compassion, as we cannot bear for sentient beings to suffer. We just want them to attain peace and happiness; we do not seek to enjoy anything in return. But, in order to transform sentient beings and go among people, we must go through a lot. “To wade through” means to undergo, to experience, to deal with many worldly matters and things. We must patiently endure so much! People, matters and things are very complicated. When we go among people, when we take on a responsibility, we have to endure many things. Since we formed aspirations to go among people, we face many people, matters and things; this is truly very taxing. Thus, we must have patience as our foundation. Compassion is the prerequisite and patience is the foundation. So, we must have a spacious heart and be able to patiently endure the challenges. This is having patience as our foundation.

“To teach the Dharma, being selfless is the root.” To teach the Dharma, we cannot be attached to ourselves, [thinking,] “I can teach the Dharma. I am so amazing.” Even the Buddha said, “The Dharma teacher has no Dharma to teach,” This is because the Dharma is a natural principle. Where is the Dharma actually stored? It is not stored anywhere. It is a natural principle. It has always been there. The Dharma has always been in our minds. If our minds are open, free of discursive thoughts, afflictions and selfish thoughts about personal gains, we can open up our hearts and not be attached to our limited self. Every corner [of this world] contains its own principles.

This is because everything in the world is Dharma. The universe is filled with true principles. As long as our wisdom is unlocked and our minds are free of afflictions, if we have eliminated our attachment and habitual tendencies, what other Dharma is there to speak of? “To teach the Dharma, being selfless is the root.” Our hearts and minds must be very open so that we can see all things in the world and the principles of the laws of nature. This means we must let go of our limited self. Then we can find principles everywhere. This is what we must learn. Truly, our minds must be open. “This is how we can benefit ourselves and others.” If we can achieve this, then we can benefit ourselves and others.

To benefit ourselves, we must put our efforts into having a mindset and perspective of self-respect. Respecting ourselves means that we must not be influenced by external people, matters and objects. If we allow the slightest affliction to cause us to waver in our perspective, that is ignorance and foolishness. If we do not thoroughly understand the principles, we can be easily influenced. This causes suffering in life. Suffering comes from ignorance and lack of understanding.

As spiritual practitioners, as we listen to the Buddha-Dharma, we think about so many things. We fear that by interacting with others, we will be contaminated by them. Think about it; if doctors and nurses are afraid of being infected by their patients, they would be unable to be doctors and nurses. So, being a doctor or a nurse takes courage. They understand the workings of the illnesses and how to protect themselves against them so they can wholeheartedly help their patients. The same thing applies here. As spiritual practitioners, by understanding many principles, we will know how to protect ourselves. Principles are meant to be applied among people, not just on ourselves. For this reason, we must have compassion as the prerequisite and patience as the foundation. “To teach the Dharma, being selfless is the root.” If we can achieve this, we can benefit ourselves and others.

How can we repay the Buddha’s grace? In fact, we repay the Buddha’s grace by benefiting ourselves and others. This was the Buddha’s purpose in teaching sentient beings. It was also His most important cause for coming to this world. If we want to repay the Buddha’s grace, we must help Him fulfill His vow and His mission. This is truly repaying the Buddha’s grace.

As the previous sutra passage states, “Providing offerings with our hands and feet, fully prostrating to pay respect, all the offerings we make could never repay His grace. If we were to carry Him on our heads or bear Him on our shoulders over kalpas as numerous as the Ganges’ sand, and fully express our respect….”

If we do this for a long period of time, using our physical labor to express our utmost reverence, are we able to repay the Buddha’s grace?

Next, “[If we were to] offer wonderful meals, countless articles of precious clothing, and all sorts of bedding, various kinds of medicine, or use ox-head sandalwood and all kinds of treasures to build stupas and temples, or cover the ground with precious cloth….”

Now, this is using food and other material things to make offerings. This refers to “offerings of material wealth.” First we talked about making offerings with physical labor. Now, we are talking about making offerings with material wealth, which can be “food, clothing, bedding or medicine.” These are the Four Offerings.

This refers to the offerings of material wealth, which are food, clothing, bedding and medicines. These are the Four Offerings.

People’s lives are truly inseparable from these four things. In our daily living, we need to maintain our physical health. Diet is very important in providing nutrition to keep our body healthy. Even as spiritual practitioners, the Buddha and His disciples went out daily to beg for alms. On one hand, it was to obtain food for their bodies’ nutrition, to sustain their lives. On the other, it was to exercise their wisdom-life and transform sentient beings.

We also need to have clothing. We need clothing to cover our bodies. We must have light clothing for summer and heavy clothing for winter. We also need a place to live as well as bedding. We need a place to stay, our own “spot,” a bed to sleep in. We also need medicine. In our daily living, these four things are necessities. These are the Four Offerings.

After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, practitioners used precious sandalwood to build stupas to protect His sariras. Making offerings like this over kalpas numerous as the Ganges’s sand still cannot requite [the Buddha’s grace].

“After the Buddha entered Parinirvana, practitioners used precious sandalwood to build stupas to protect His sariras. Making offerings like this” over kalpas numerous as the Ganges’ sand, over a long time, “still could not repay His grace.”

Even after the Buddha entered Parinirvana, practitioners still made offerings with the best things they had. They used precious sandalwood to build stupas; this was the best building material. They used treasures to decorate them. These grand stupas were built to protect His sariras “[They] made offerings like this.” In this way, they used these precious objects to build stupas as offerings. “Over kalpas as numerous as the Ganges’ sand,” even after such as long period of time, they “still could not repay His grace.”

This means the Buddha’s grace is hard to repay. The Dharma that the Buddha gave us is an intangible treasure. It can transform our mental state, enable our hearts to be open and spacious and prevent us from creating [negative] karma so we can develop our wisdom-life. Thus, the Buddha’s grace is not easy to repay. His grace is immense.

Why are we still unable to requite it? Of all offerings, the offering of the Dharma is the foremost. Only the offering of the Dharma. can truly repay the Buddha’s grace.

So, “Why are we still unable to repay it?” Why is it that we are still unable to repay the Buddha’s grace? “Of all offerings, the offering of the Dharma is the foremost. Only the offering of the Dharma can truly repay the Buddha’s grace.”

If we put our body to work [to make offerings] but have not taken the Dharma to heart, the Buddha would still worry about us. Thus we have not have repaid the Buddha’s grace. No matter how many things we give as offerings, the Buddha would still worry about us. There is only one way to repay the Buddha’s grace. Among all offerings, the offering of Dharma is the foremost.

In the past, we have spoken of offerings of wealth, offerings of reverence and offerings of conduct. Offerings of wealth are material possessions. Offerings of reverence are physical actions such as earnestly prostrating. However, only the offerings of conduct are truly [offerings] of the Dharma. Among the offerings of wealth, reverence and conduct, the most important is conduct. Putting the Dharma into practice is the greatest offering.

So, we must take the Dharma to heart and follow it in our actions. Then naturally, everything we do, every action we take and every word we say, is teaching the Dharma. Everything we do teaches and transforms sentient beings. So, “Only the offering of the Dharma can truly repay the Buddha’s grace.” Thus, we must practice the Dharma and manifest it in our actions

“Because all Tathagatas respect the Buddha-Dharma, following and practicing what is taught gives birth to all Buddhas.”

All Buddhas, from the past to the present, including Sakyamuni Buddha and countless other past Buddhas, respect the Buddha-Dharma. So, it is said, “All Buddhas share the same path.” Each Buddha respects the path to enlightenment. They practice according to the teachings and continuously engage in spiritual practice without interruption or letting anything leak away. They always remain in the Buddha-Dharma. Regardless of which lifetime, Their [practice] was never interrupted nor did They let any Dharma leak away. They did this until They attained Buddhahood

[If we were to] offer wonderful meals, countless articles of precious clothing, and all sorts of bedding, various kinds of medicine: We may offer fine and wonderful food, countless kinds of expensive and precious clothing and all sorts of beds and mattresses to lie on. Or we may offer all kinds of superior medicine.

“[If we were to] offer wonderful meals, countless articles of precious clothing, and all sorts of bedding, various kinds of medicine…”. Delicious foods are part of the four offerings, as are precious and high-quality clothing and bedding or furniture to sleep on, etc. People only used the best things to make offerings to the Buddha. In the end, they even used ox-head sandalwood to build stupas for sariras. These were all material things; they are offerings of wealth

Ox-head sandalwood: Break-away-from-Defilement Mountain is also called Lanka Mountain. The most precious fragrant wood comes from there. If ground into powder and applied to the body, fire will not burn the body.

“Ox-head sandalwood” was named after [the shape of] a mountain. It is from Break-Away-from-Defilement Mountain, which is also called Lanka Mountain. That place is the mountain that the most precious wood came from. The wood from that mountain could be ground into fragrant powder, like what we use today for sandalwood or agarwood [incense] and so forth. The mountain resembled the head of an ox, so it was called “ox-head sandalwood.”

The [Sutra of] Mindfulness of Right Dharma says: There is a mountain in Uttarakuru called Tall Mountain which produces ox-head sandalwood. The peak of this mountain is shaped like an ox head, and on this peak grows many sandalwood trees. 

“The [Sutra of] Mindfulness of Right Dharma says, ‘There is a mountain in Uttarakuru called Tall Mountain’.” This mountain was in Uttarakuru. It had “ox-head sandalwood”; this kind of wood was found in that mountain. Its peak resembled the head of an ox. The wood from there was [very precious].

[If we were to use] all kinds of precious treasures to build stupas and temples: They use fragrant woods and all sorts of precious materials to build all kinds of stupas and temples for the Buddha.

So, “[They used] all kinds of treasures to build stupas and temples.” They used this high-quality material. So, they built stupas and temples out of this kind of wood. “They use fragrant woods and all sorts of precious materials” to build all kinds of stupas and temples for the Buddha. They made offerings to the Buddha in this way, but they still could not repay the Buddha’s grace.

In summary, as Buddhist practitioners, to make true offerings we must use the Dharma. Only by earnestly engaging in spiritual practice are we repaying our teacher’s grace, truly repaying the Buddha’s grace. So, to truly engage in spiritual practice, we must mindfully dedicate ourselves. We must have compassion as the prerequisite and patience as the foundation to be able to teach the Dharma and truly repay the Buddha’s grace. Therefore, we must always be mindful.

Episode 859 – Repaying the Buddha’s Immense Grace

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>> Practice with reverence means having thoughts of utmost reverence and propriety, without any indolence or retreating. Practice with nothing further means being replete with blessings and wisdom, the two kinds of spiritual provisions. Uninterrupted practice is courageously and diligently advancing without any pause or interruption. Extended practice is practicing for many decades without changing from the first day.

>> “The World-Honored One’s great grace is an extraordinary matter. He taught and transformed us out of compassion and to benefit all of us. Even over countless trillions of kalpas, who could ever repay this?”        [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> “Providing offerings with our hands and feet, fully prostrating to pay respect, all the offerings we make could never repay His grace even if we were to carry Him on our heads, or bear Him on our shoulders over kalpas as numerous as the Ganges’ sand, and fully express our respect….”       [Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4 – Faith And Understanding]

>> With regard to sentient beings, the Buddha’s grace and virtues are tremendous. He teaches, transforms and benefits us. His grace and virtues are so deep and vast, they are inexpressibly difficult to repay.

>> We diligently practiced, accepted the teachings and put them into action to realize the small fruits. They thought they had lived up to the teachings and sufficiently repaid the Buddha’s grace.

>> Today with our meticulous contemplation and careful assessment, when it comes to the Buddha’s great grace, how could we repay it in a single life or kalpa? Even over countless kalpas, who could repay this?

>> Providing offerings with our hands and feet, or fully prostrating to pay respect. Even if we labor our entire lives to provide, if we use all our might, we still could not repay it.

>> Fully prostrating to pay respect: Placing the forehead upon the ground to reverently pay respect. We wholeheartedly visualize all Buddhas of the ten directions as if They were here before us, then reverently and earnestly place the five points of the body on the ground. This is how we pay respect to all Buddhas.

>> All the offerings we make could never repay His grace: These are the most reverent offerings made through the karma of body, speech and mind. Offerings made with all kinds of material goods are insufficient to repay this grace.

>> If we were to carry Him on our heads or bear Him on our shoulders: We carry the Buddha on our heads, or bear Him on our shoulders. This is like Guanyin Bodhisattva, who always carries the Tathagata in his crown. This shows our utmost sincerity and respect.

>> Over kalpas as numerous as the Ganges’s sand, [we] fully expressed our respect: Even going through kalpas as numerous as the Ganges’s sand we would fully express our wholeheartedness in practicing reverence and respect.

>> Bodhisattvas, with the merits and virtues of cultivating the roots of goodness, undertake the mission and make offerings to all the infinite and boundless Buddhas. Of all those around them, no one is missed. This is to repay the grace of all Buddhas.

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“Practice with reverence” means “having thoughts of utmost reverence and propriety, without any indolence or retreating. Practice with nothing further means being replete with blessings and wisdom, the two kinds of spiritual provisions.
Uninterrupted practice is courageously and diligently advancing without any pause or interruption.
Extended practice is practicing for many decades without changing from the first day.”

This is telling everyone that these four aspects of spiritual practice are very important for us.

The minds of spiritual practitioners must always be reverent. With reverence, we respect the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, the heavens, the earth, the human world and all things. I often mention to everyone that no matter what happens, we must feel gratitude, as well as respect. Finally, we should feel love. If we are able to constantly maintain this sense of reverence as we engage in spiritual practice, then as we interact with people, matters, things, and even in our attitude towards ourselves, naturally we will always have thoughts of utmost reverence. This is the most sincere and reverent form of spiritual practice.

Only if [individuals] have this sense of reverence will the group be orderly and harmonious. So, practicing with reverence is very important. On one hand, we must diligently carry out our spiritual aspirations, while on the other, when we go among people, we must interact with them harmoniously. This begins with sincere reverence; we cannot be indolent or retreat.

Next, we must “practice with nothing further. Practice with nothing further” means our minds are focused on one thing without any discursive thoughts. We have already chosen this course of practice, so we should not be distracted by anything and must focus on walking along the Bodhisattva-path. To walk the Bodhisattva-path is to go among people to cultivate blessings and attain wisdom. These are the two kinds of spiritual provisions we need as we walk the Bodhisattva-path. Thus, we cultivate both blessings and wisdom.

Then, there is “uninterrupted practice. Uninterrupted” means without pause. As time continuously passes, we do not relax our efforts for even an instant. We do not slack off, but continue on, always with a mind of courage and diligence.

When the weather is very cold, it is not easy to leave our warm beds. But, as long as we have a diligent mind, when we hear the striking of the wooden boards, we begin to move in that instant. We hear it, wake up, push aside our blankets and start moving to diligently enter the Great Hall. “Hearing the bell, afflictions are alleviated. Wisdom grows; Bodhi arises.” So, to be diligent, we must be courageous. No matter what we do, we absolutely must have a diligent mind and must not be lacking in courage. So, we must courageously and diligently advance.

Then, when afflictions arise, because of our courage and diligence, we immediately guard against wrongs and stop evil. With this sense of discipline, we will no longer engage in improper behavior. This is attained through diligent practice. This is the only way to eliminate unwholesome ignorance and afflictions. Therefore, our will to practice must continuously be present in our every thought, without interruption. We must guard against past habitual tendencies to avoid returning to them. Our thoughts of diligence must be uninterrupted. This is “uninterrupted practice.”

“Extended practice” means over a long time. “Extended practice” means over a long time. Over a long time, many decades, we remain the same as on the first day. In fact, we spiritual practitioners talk about tens of kalpas, countless kalpas, very long periods of time. Yet, in our countless subsequent lifetimes, we must consistently maintain our diligent mind.

For spiritual practitioners, these four methods of spiritual practice are essential.

In a previous sutra passage, Venerable Kasyapa also said that, in the past, the Buddha had taught them over and over. But over this long period of practice, they stopped halfway, so they let their diligent resolve leak away. When ignorance arises, there are Leaks. “Leaks” are ignorance. They cause us to fall into an unenlightened state and transmigrate through the Five Realms and the four forms of birth. So, we should take good care of our minds.

The Buddha was earnest and had compassion for sentient beings, so He repeatedly returned over countless kalpas. Since Beginningless Time, He has transmitted the Dharma to people to give us all a chance to accept the Buddha-Dharma and take it to heart. He helps us all to recognize that everyone intrinsically has Buddha-nature. This shows His single-minded resolve to help sentient beings attain Buddhahood. The Buddha’s grace is so great; how can we repay it?

Thus the previous sutra passage says, “The World-Honored One’s great grace is an extraordinary matter. He taught and transformed us out of compassion and to benefit all of us. Even over countless trillions of kalpas, who could ever repay this?” How can we repay the Buddha’s grace? The Buddha’s grace is so immense.

In the past they thought, “Accepting what the Buddha taught and attaining benefits through our own practice is the way to repay the Buddha’s grace.” Is it enough to merely practice and attain benefits for ourselves? No. What the Buddha hopes is not that we are the only ones who benefit from our practice. After we have attained benefits, we must also benefit others. Only then are we truly repaying the Buddha’s grace. The number of people rescuing people must increase so that suffering people of the world have more chances to be rescued. This is what the Buddha hopes for, that everyone will engage in spiritual practice to become Bodhisattvas and help deliver sentient beings. This is truly repaying the Buddha’s grace.

The next sutra passage states, “Providing offerings with our hands and feet, fully prostrating to pay respect, all the offerings we make could never repay His grace even if we were to carry Him on our heads, or bear Him on our shoulders over kalpas as numerous as the Ganges’ sand, and fully express our respect….”

From this [sutra] passage, we should know that the Buddha has shown great grace and virtue to sentient beings. In lifetime after lifetime, He repeatedly returned to the Five Realms and the four forms of birth to go among people and benefit them.

Perhaps in many of our lifetimes we lived in the same era as the Buddha and received the Buddha’s teachings. Though He did not reveal Himself as a Buddha, He has taken on all kinds of identities in the world. From our state of ignorance and confusion, He taught and guided us to help us understand the principles, awaken from the delusion of our afflictions and repent and change our past mistaken ways. Perhaps changing our behavior and changing our lives allowed us to create positive causes. Then with these causes and conditions, in this life we are still able to immerse ourselves in the Buddha-Dharma. So, we must be grateful for the Buddha’s grace. The Buddha truly showed great grace and virtue to sentient beings.

If we consider the Buddha’s great grace as expressed by Venerable Kasyapa, what can we do to repay Him?

The Buddha “teaches, transforms and benefits us. His grace and virtues are so deep and vast.” They are higher than the sky, deeper than the ocean and more vast than the universe. Indeed, they are greater than these great spaces. This conveys the scope of His grace and virtue. The grace and virtue that. He has shown to sentient beings are so great.

Look at the people in prison. When Living Bodhisattvas go into prisons and hold study groups with [the inmates], they bring these truths into the prisons. With patient guidance, they help the inmates encounter [these principles and realize], “What I did in the past was wrong. Everything I did before was harmful. Now, I still have the chance to change.” Once the inmates have changed, they go from a place of suffering, a place where they have no freedom, to being able to liberate their minds and resolve their afflictions and ignorance. While in prison, they aspire to make the prison a place of spiritual practice. While there, they change their own behavior, which is expressed for others to see. One day they will leave that place and go out into this vast world to be completely free, body and mind. With this mental and physical freedom, they devote themselves to the greater world, benefiting society and sentient beings.

Think about it; just a set of principles can change someone’s life. By leaving these principles for us, hasn’t the Buddha shown us great grace and virtue? So, His grace and virtue are deep and vast. “They are inexpressibly difficult to repay.” To speak of them all would take a very long time

We diligently practiced, accepted the teachings and put them into action to realize the small fruits. They thought they had lived up to the teachings and sufficiently repaid the Buddha’s grace.  

“We diligently practiced, accepted the teachings and put them into action to realize the small fruits.” They thought they had lived up to the teachings and sufficiently repaid the Buddha’s grace. Venerable Kasyapa felt that they had all earnestly followed everything that the Buddha taught, had practiced according to the teachings. “We engaged in spiritual practice by upholding the Buddha’s teachings.” So, by accepting and following them, they had eliminated afflictions and ignorance, and thus they had realized the small fruit, the Four Fruits of the Small [Vehicle], the first, second, third and fourth fruit. They thought these were the ultimate fruitions. This means they had already cleansed their minds of ignorance and put an end to fragmentary samsara. They had not eliminated transformational samsara, but they thought, “I am so earnest in my spiritual practice that I have lived up to the teachings the Buddha gave us.” Haven’t I thus already repaid the Buddha’s grace?”

Today with our meticulous contemplation and careful assessment, when it comes to the Buddha’s great grace, how could we repay it in a single life or kalpa? Even over countless kalpas, who could repay this?

However, at the Lotus Dharma-assembly, Venerable Kasyapa and others further contemplated this carefully. They earnestly thought about this. “I only seek to benefit myself, to attain realizations myself. Have I truly repaid the Buddha’s immense grace? All I do is seek to awaken myself. He showed us such great grace and virtue by having taught us. For our sake, the Buddha repeatedly returned to deliver us and called on everyone to walk the Bodhisattva-path. Can this possibly be repaid in a single lifetime or in a single kalpa?” Today with our meticulous contemplation and careful assessment, when it comes to the Buddha’s great grace, how could we repay it in a single life or kalpa?

Even over countless kalpas, who could repay this? Even over countless kalpas, who could possibly repay this? Even if we have had these aspirations for countless kalpas, if we think about it and compare, the Buddha has given everyone so much, but the stage we have achieved [is limited]. So, have we really repaid the Buddha’s grace? Even over an extended period of time, who is able to give as much the Buddha has? Who can repay the Buddha’s grace?

Providing offerings with our hands and feet, or fully prostrating to pay respect. Even if we labor our entire lives to provide, if we use all our might, we still could not repay it.

Repaying the Buddha’s grace is more than “providing offerings with our hands and feet,” or “fully prostrating to pay respect.” Even if we “labor our entire lives to provide,” if we use “all our might,” we still could not repay it.

Whether with tangible [offerings] in our lives, or expressions of deep reverence when we are with the Buddha, whether fully prostrating to pay respect or providing offerings with our hands and feet, these are ways in which we can express deep reverence and labor on the Buddha’s behalf, doing many things. Whatever the Buddha wishes to be done, we do it for Him. In life, this is a way of giving and showing respect.

Fully prostrating to pay respect: Placing the forehead upon the ground to reverently pay respect. We wholeheartedly visualize all Buddhas of the ten directions as if They were here before us, then reverently and earnestly place the five points of the body on the ground. This is how we pay respect to all Buddhas.

“Fully prostrating to pay respect” means that we touch our forehead to the ground. Placing our forehead upon the ground is a way of paying our respects

“We wholeheartedly visualize all Buddhas of the ten directions as if. They were here before us, then reverently and earnestly place the five points of the body on the ground.” This is how we “pay respect to all Buddhas.”

To sincerely pay respect, we must place our forehead on the ground with a heart of deep reverence. When we express respect in this way, it is not just the Buddha statue that is before us. We must also visualize all Buddhas of the ten directions before us [We do this] because the Buddha-Dharma is not just transmitted by Sakyamuni Buddha; He likewise received it from countless Buddhas. Thus, we must pay our respects to all Buddhas.

So, would this be repaying the Buddha’s grace? To “reverently and earnestly place the five points of the body on the ground” is a way to pay respect to all Buddhas. Isn’t this repaying the Buddha’s grace? It is indeed, yet,

All the offerings we make could never repay His grace: These are the most reverent offerings made through the karma of body, speech and mind. Offerings made with all kinds of material goods are insufficient to repay this grace.

“All the offerings we make could never repay His grace.” In fact, this is merely a form of expression, an expression of body, speech and mind in making reverent offerings. “Offerings made with all kinds of material goods” like all those we have mentioned are insufficient repayment. This is also only an expression of reverence; it is only the outward appearance of respect. We need to have this type of appearance; this is part of our organization’s way of life. But, are we truly repaying the Buddha’s grace?

The next part of the passage says, “If we were to carry Him on our heads or bear Him on our shoulders….”

If we were to carry Him on our heads or bear Him on our shoulders: We carry the Buddha on our heads, or bear Him on our shoulders. This is like Guanyin Bodhisattva, who always carries the Tathagata in his crown. This shows our utmost sincerity and respect.

“[We] carry the Buddha on our heads, or bear Him on our shoulders.” In fact, we often see this on Bodhisattva statues. Of those wearing a crown, we see another Buddha’s image carved into it. This is one way to express reverence. Another way is to labor on behalf of the Buddha by transporting many things by placing them on our heads; this is the same. Perhaps we place things on our shoulders and carry an abundance of material things as a way of making offerings. Thus, we “bear Him on our shoulders.” We carry the Buddha on our heads or bear Him on our shoulders. This is like how Guanyin Bodhisattva and others [carry Him] in their crowns; this effort expresses their utmost reverence.

Next we discuss, “Over kalpas as numerous as the Ganges’ sand, [we] fully express our respect.”

Over kalpas as numerous as the Ganges’s sand, [we] fully expressed our respect: Even going through kalpas as numerous as the Ganges’s sand we would fully express our wholeheartedness in practicing reverence and respect.

Even after kalpas as numerous as the Ganges’ sand of “fully expressing our wholeheartedness in practicing reverence and respect” means this will take a very long time, not merely a single lifetime. It may take many kalpas, as numerous as the Ganges’ sand. If one grain of sand is equivalent to one kalpa, and it takes as many kalpas as the Ganges’ sand, how long is that? As for “fully expressing our wholeheartedness in practicing reverence and respect,” we must be able to achieve this level. It takes a very long time to express this. We must exercise a sincere, reverent mind to repay the Buddha. Then is this really enough? Bodhisattvas must, “with the merits and virtues of cultivating the roots of goodness, undertake the mission and make offerings to all the infinite and boundless Buddhas. Of all those around them, no one is missed. This is to repay the grace of all Buddhas.”

When it comes to Bodhisattvas, they walk the Bodhisattva-path to cultivate the merits and virtues of their roots of goodness. Walking the Bodhisattva-path to benefit sentient beings, to save and transform them, is truly having a Buddha-mind.

All Buddhas hope that the minds of sentient beings can be the same as that of the Buddha. To achieve the same mind as the Buddha, we must walk the Bodhisattva-path. Bodhi is the cause, and Bodhisattva-practice is the effect; these are the cause and effect. If we do not put this path into practice and only cultivate the Small Vehicle, no matter how respectful we are, we are still merely benefiting ourselves. The Buddha hopes that we can all open up our hearts and take the Dharma we understand and truly share it with other sentient beings to turn them from ignorance toward a radiant path of goodness.

Think of the inmates who lost their freedom; how can we go into those places to open up their hearts? In a world of deep suffering, how can we help people tap into their spiritual wealth? We must help them plant the seed of Bodhi, the seed of walking the Bodhisattva-path in this life, so they can carry them into subsequent lifetimes and benefit many people. Wisdom arises from blessings, and blessings come from doing good deeds, as doing them makes us very happy. Wisdom comes from understanding and allows us to have true freedom. All this is what we attain by working with others. Similarly, finding a way to truly draw near the Buddha’s mind depends on our mindfulness and how determined we are to be diligent and courageous and engage in the four forms of spiritual practice. We must engage in practice with reverence, practice with nothing further, uninterrupted practice and extended practice. Therefore, we must always be mindful.